Italian air traffic control authority ENAV reduced airspace capacity by 50% due to data transmission anomalies. The agency ruled out cyber attacks and stated that safety remains the top priority.
Air traffic across Italy has been significantly disrupted after the national air navigation service provider, ENAV, reduced airspace capacity by 50 per cent. The reduction follows the identification of anomalies in the data transmission network, affecting major hubs including Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa.
The operational restrictions have led to numerous cancellations and delays at airports across the peninsula. Affected locations include Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, Bergamo, Turin, Bologna, Naples and Salerno. At Rome Fiumicino, cancelled departures included flights to Munich, Malaga, Malta, Valencia and Amsterdam. Several easyJet services were impacted, with cancellations to Lyon and Sicily, and delays to London, Manchester and Birmingham.
At Milan Malpensa, easyJet flights to Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Athens were cancelled. Arrivals from London, Manchester and Edinburgh also faced delays. Turin Airport reported at least 10 cancelled flights, while dozens of flights at Bologna Airport were delayed. Airport operators ADR and SEA advised passengers to contact their airlines for the latest flight status information.
ENAV stated that the issues were identified overnight. Regular air traffic management was maintained until 6am (0400 GMT/UTC) using contingency systems. However, as scheduled services increased, operations had to be reduced. "ENAV announces that, despite the anomalies encountered on the data transmission network, the maximum number of departures possible was guaranteed this morning, including intercontinental flights," the agency said in a statement. "To achieve this, ENAV is using alternative data transmission systems."
The agency confirmed it is maintaining an operational capacity of 50 per cent of total air traffic. "ENAV is deploying all available resources to minimise disruption and restore full operations as soon as possible," ENAV said. "ENAV currently maintains an operational capacity of 50 per cent of total air traffic, ensuring maximum safety at all times, which remains the company's top priority."
ENAV has ruled out the possibility of a cyber attack or malicious activity. "Technical checks, still ongoing, have identified the source of the anomalies in the data transmission network," ENAV stated. "ENAV is working to identify the causes and restore full system operation. It is excluded that the anomalies are attributable to malicious activity."
The incident demonstrates the operational impact of technical failures in air traffic control infrastructure. ENAV's use of alternative data transmission systems allowed for the continuation of intercontinental flights despite the network anomalies. The agency's statement emphasizes that safety protocols were maintained throughout the disruption, with capacity managed to ensure secure operations while technical checks continue.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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