PSA & FLR: Handling Strike Set for Friday at Pisa and Florence Despite Government Order

PISA & FLORENCE, Italy — October 28, 2026 — Ground handling staff at Tuscany’s two main airports, Pisa (PSA) and Florence (FLR), are scheduled to walk out for 24 hours on Friday, October 30, the same day a nationwide transport strike was called. Italy’s transport ministry has now ordered the national transport action deferred, but the union behind it says it will strike anyway, and it is not clear whether the order reaches the Tuscan airport walkout.

What is planned

Airport walkout: A 24-hour stoppage from 00:00 to 23:59 on Friday, October 30, by staff of Toscana Aeroporti, GH Toscana and Consulta, the companies that handle check-in, bags and aircraft turnarounds at both airports.
Who called it: The USB Lavoro Privato union, which filed it on October 12. It replaces a strike planned for October 16 that was withdrawn on October 9.
National strike the same day: USB also called a nationwide general strike for October 30 covering transport, with several smaller unions joining.

What changed in the past 24 hours

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport ordered the transport part of the October 30 strike deferred, including air transport, rail, maritime and local public transport.
USB confirmed it will strike regardless and says it will contest any sanctions. Fines under the order run from €500 to €1,000 per day for individual workers and €2,500 to €50,000 per day for unions.
No new strike date has been set. Reports do not say whether the order covers the Pisa and Florence handling walkout: TBA.
Separately, La Nazione noted that October 30 to November 5 falls inside an exemption period in which air transport strikes are normally not allowed, adding to the uncertainty.

Protected flights

Item	Detail
Strike hours	00:00–23:59, Friday, October 30
Guaranteed windows	07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00 (standard Italian rule for air strikes)
List of guaranteed flights	Expected from Italy’s aviation authority ENAC; publication not confirmed (TBA)
Airlines named as cancelling	None reported so far

What it means for travelers

Avoid Pisa and Florence on Friday if you can. Even if flights operate, a handling walkout means slow check-in, delayed bags and late turnarounds. Fly Thursday or Saturday instead.
If you must fly Friday, aim for the protected windows (07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00). Flights outside those hours carry the most risk of cancellation, and passengers from cancelled flights will fill seats on whatever does operate, so seats will be scarce.
Consider Bologna (BLQ) or Rome (FCO) as alternates, but remember the national strike could still affect other Italian airports and trains, since the union has said it will ignore the government order.
Carry on only. With handlers out, checked bags are the first thing to go wrong.
Check late. Thursday evening is the earliest you are likely to know which flights are cancelled; watch ENAC’s guaranteed-flight list and your airline’s app.
Train connections to the airports may also be disrupted, as the national strike included rail.