Chaos in the skies of the Northwest: technical failure blocks air traffic on the first weekend of summer.

On the first weekend of summer, which traditionally marks the beginning of the holiday exodus, a technical failure brought air traffic to its knees in the entire North-West of Italy. On Saturday evening, June 28, due to a slowdown in the data transmission system of the Area Control Center of Milano, it was necessary to temporarily suspend all take-offs and landings at airports in the area. The situation, which affected key airports such as Milano Malpensa, Linate, Turin Caselle, Genoa, Bergamo Orio al Serio, Florence and Pisa, has caused inconvenience to thousands of passengers.

The failure and the intervention of Enav

The malfunction occurred in the connectivity and data transmission system of the Control Center of Milano, located at Linate airport, one of the four radar centers managed by ENAV – Ente Nazionale per l'Assistenza al Volo – for the surveillance and management of Italian airspace. The system, responsible for managing air traffic in the north-western area of ​​the country, was slowed down by a technical problem that made it impossible to guarantee normal safe operations.

“To ensure the highest standards of operational safety – explained Enav – it was decided to temporarily suspend departures and arrivals at the airports involved”. After about an hour and a half, the first flights resumed, while technicians worked to restore the system to full functionality.

The gradual return to normality

Shortly before midnight on Saturday, a note from Enav communicated that "thanks to the timely intervention of its technical-operational staff, the data transmission and connectivity problem encountered at the Area Control Centre of Milano has already been resolved. Air traffic in the North-West area of ​​Italy is gradually returning to full normality”.

The restoration was also confirmed by the Ministry of Transport: "The deputy prime minister and minister Matteo Salvini has carefully followed the evolution of the situation and is constantly in contact with all the parties involved, starting with Enav", reads a note from the MIT.

Stranded Travelers and Assistance at Airports

Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers remained stranded in terminals, some forced to spend the night at the airport. Airlines have activated assistance procedures, distributing water and food, and trying to 'reprotect' travelers affected by cancellations and delays.

The situation is particularly difficult at Pisa airport, where Toscana Aeroporti reported that the terminal remained overcrowded also due to the impossibility of finding buses and alternative means of transport during the night hours.

A stop at the worst time

The blockade came at a critical time: the first weekend of summer, marked by traffic classified as “black mark”, with tens of thousands of travellers leaving for their holidays. Planes already in flight were redirected to other airports, while those on the ground remained stationary until the fault was resolved.

The Area Control Center of Milano It is one of four in Italy, together with those of Padua (located in Abano Terme), Rome-Ciampino and Brindisi-Casale. The efficiency and safety of communications between these centers are fundamental for the management of all national air traffic.