EasyJet passengers stranded abroad after airline cancels 32 flights to due to Italy strike with Ryanair also affected
EASYJET passengers have been left stranded abroad and had their holidays cancelled due to strikes in Italy tomorrow.
A number of Ryanair flights have also been cancelled, with many unable to find alternative flights due to the busy half term holiday season.
EasyJet has cancelled 32 flights to and from the UK due to the strikes, according to .
Affecting 5,000 passengers, many have found themselves left stranded abroad.
Milan Airport has been forced to cancel a number of flights tomorrow with easyJet, Alitalia and Lufthansa passengers affected.
Flights to and from Naples, Sicily and Rome have also been affected.
EasyJet flight EZY9826 from Bari to London was cancelled, with Brits complaining on social media.
Twitter user Adam Tracy said: "Hi @easyJet currently stranded in Bari. Will anyone be coming to the hotel to give us more information? Hotel staff don’t know anything - when will be picked up?"
He added: "You should be ashamed of the service you have provided.
"There are people who don’t speak English or Italian who have no idea what’s going on. You should be here to help, instead it’s up to us to try and sort it out."
Ceri Short was also stranded in Bari, saying: "Your customers stranded in Bari need some info pls! We’re getting conflicting info from hotel staff & there is a lot of confusion amongst passengers.
"Pls update us with when our bus will leave so that we can at least try & enjoy these last few unexpected hours in Italy."
Oli said there were roughly 50 people at his hotel waiting for the flight as "different information is being passed to different people".
Others had their "dream family holiday ruined" after their flights were cancelled, while others said they were "devastated" due to only being able to travel during the half term.
Due to the busy half term season, some said they had been forced to pay even more to book new flights - or even having none available.
Edlene Whitman wrote: "Just discovered @EasyJet flight from Rome to gatwick on Friday has been cancelled but no one let me know, I found out when I checked the app. had to rebook with vueling and spend more money."
Ryanair passengers have also been affected, with some unable to find replacement flights.
One woman asked: "Just been text that our flight from Milan has been cancelled and no return flights until the 28th!!!
"Can @Ryanair explain what we’re supposed to do now considering we were supposed to fly back tomorrow..."
Italian airline Alitalia has cancelled 200 flights tomorrow while on social media they were "not aware" of any issues with flights.
Italian workers are walking out for 24 hours tomorrow in protest over pay and working conditions, according to .
Can I claim compensation if my flight is cancelled?
Passengers flying with an EU airline or a non-EU airline flying from a EU airport are protected by the Denied Boarding regulations.
This means that the airline must offer you the option of either being reimbursed for a cancelled flight or rerouted on either the next possible flight or on an agreed date.
It must also provide you with meals and phone calls and hotel accommodation and transfers if the rerouting involves an overnight stay.
If you opt for a full refund instead then the airline has to give you the money back for the part of the journey that wasn't made and any parts already made that are then useless.
You are also entitled to the earliest possible return flight.
An easyJet spokesperson told Sun Online Travel: "Affected customers have been notified by e-mail and sms and will be able to change their flight free of charge or receive a refund. We advise customers to make any amendments to their booking on easyJet.com/manage bookings.
"We recommend to all customers flying to or from Italy on Friday 25 October to allow extra time to get to the airport and check the status of their flight on easyJet.com and Flight Tracker for live updates.
"Although this is outside of our control we would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience and would like to assure them that we are doing all possible to minimise any disruption as a result of the industrial action."
A Ryanair spokesperson explained: "As a result of an Italian ATC Strike on Friday, 25th October 2019, we have been forced to cancel a small number of flights.
"All affected customers are currently being notified by SMS and email advising customers of their option of a free move or refund. If you have not received an email or SMS message then we expect your flight to operate as scheduled.
"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by these ATC strikes. We will do everything we can to minimise your disruption, which is sadly beyond our control."
British Airways added that "like all airlines, our operations to and from Italy on 25th October will be affected by planned strike action."
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EasyJet and Alitalia were forced to cancel hundreds of flights in May after another Italian strike.
British Airways were affected by a pilot strike earlier this year, cancelling more than 2,000 flights.
Brits can claim compensation for delayed or cancelled flights under EU law 261/2004, with up to £534 depending on the flight destination and length of delay.
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