Up to 50,000 passengers could find themselves impacted by airport strikes in Italy this week. 

Strike action taking place on October 29 is set to disrupt several airports, as workers from KLM, Air France and Vuelling walk out. 

Airport workers at Milan Malpensa and Linate, Florence and Pisa are also expected to take part. 

The industrial action varies across the groups, with Air France and KLM ground staff set to strike between noon and 4pm.

Vuelling workers will strike between 1pm and 5pm the same day. 

Meanwhile, Swissport and Dussman workers will stand down for the full 24 hours, as will staff at Milan's Malpensa and Linate airports, Pisa Airport and Florence Airport.

The industrial action by Air France, KLM, and Vueling is set to be 'severely disruptive' because the carriers offer flights to over a dozen popular Italian locations. 

They fly frequently to Milan, Rome, Florence, Catania, and Naples. 

However, under Italian law, there must be a minimum service provided, though chaos is still expected. 

Unions USB and CUB are representing some of the striking workers and have called for the action in protest of the Italian government's 2026 budget bill.

Ivalyo Danilov, CEO of SkyRefund explained how passengers could receive help from the airline if they are impacted by the strikes.

He said: 'It's always a nightmare to see a holiday ruined by flight troubles. 

'Thankfully that nightmare can only get so bad, as UK and European law both offer consumers significant protections and compensation in the event of a disastrous delay or cancellation.

'Flight delays or cancellations resulting from strikes by airline staff, such as the expected KLM, Air France, and Vueling strikes, are considered to be within the control of the airline, meaning that the airline becomes responsible for paying affected travellers' compensation.

'Airlines also have a duty of care to their stranded passengers. Airlines must offer a full refund, or a rebooking on the next earliest flight. 

'They must also support passengers with the costs of accommodation and food if they are subject to an extended wait for their next flight.'

According to the travel expert, any delays or cancellations that occur because of the strikes are not always considered as within the airlines' control. 

This means 'consumers are much less likely to be eligible for compensation if their flight is affected by these strikes'. 

However, passengers should still be given a refund or option to rebook.

Ivalyo added: 'With multiple overlapping strikes, such as we're expecting to see in Italy, it can be very difficult to tell what exactly caused your flight's delay or cancellation, so we recommend using a compensation calculator to check what you may be owed, and to bring some clarity to an otherwise terribly confusing process.'