Air traffic controllers across Italy are striking this afternoon, cutting nearly a third of ITA Airways’ schedule, Thai Airways has cancelled flights out of Bangkok even as the city’s flooding eases, Hurricane Polo’s remnant moisture is bringing a flash flood threat to Texas and the southern US Plains, and Typhoon Surigae is weakening as it tracks south of Japan. Here is today’s wrap of the disruptions affecting travel.
Italy’s air traffic controllers strike this afternoon, ITA Airways cuts 29 per cent of flights
Air traffic controllers across Italy are striking from 1pm to 5pm today, in action called by the Uiltrasporti union over pay and staffing disputes with ENAV, Italy’s air navigation provider, and its Techno Sky subsidiary. The strike affects ENAV nationally as well as local sites at Bologna, Bari, Naples and Milan Linate. ITA Airways has cancelled around 29 per cent of its scheduled flights and is allowing affected passengers to rebook or claim a refund up to 7 October, and disruption is expected on other airlines’ Italian services too. Agents with clients flying to, from or within Italy today should check flight status directly with their airline and allow extra connection time.
Thai Airways cancels Bangkok flights as flooding continues to ease
Bangkok’s flooding is continuing to ease, with the city government reporting that rainfall has decreased and traffic has returned to normal in most areas, though some communities remain flooded and drainage work continues. Thai Airways has cancelled 14 flights across yesterday and today, including services to New Delhi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt, Munich and Brussels, part of a wider reduction of around 30 per cent of its Bangkok departures that chief executive Chai Eamsiri says will last at least three days. Around 5,600 bags remain stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport, though the airline expects to clear the backlog within 72 hours. Agents with clients flying Thai Airways to or from Bangkok this week should check their flight status directly, particularly on the affected routes.
Hurricane Polo’s remnants bring flash flood threat to Texas and the southern Plains
Moisture from Hurricane Polo, now weakening after making landfall in Mexico, is fuelling a flash flood threat across the southern United States today, with Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado facing the greatest risk and the Dallas Metroplex under the heaviest threat. Some areas could see 75 to 125 millimetres of rain, with rates of up to 75 millimetres an hour, and the threat is forecast to extend into Wisconsin and Michigan by tomorrow. Authorities are warning drivers not to attempt to cross flooded roads. Agents with clients travelling through Dallas, Austin, San Antonio or elsewhere in the affected region over the next two days should monitor local conditions and check flight status before heading to the airport.
Typhoon Surigae weakens as it tracks south of Japan
Typhoon Surigae remains a very strong storm, with sustained winds of around 165 kilometres per hour, but is now forecast to track south of Honshu and skirt Japan’s Izu Islands without making a direct hit on Tokyo or the Kanto region. The system is expected to weaken to severe tropical storm strength by tomorrow and transition into an extratropical low by 3 October. Canadian carrier WestJet has issued an advisory covering its Narita flights today and tomorrow, and All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines continue to offer rebooking flexibility as a precaution. Clients travelling to Tokyo or Japan’s outlying islands over the next two days should confirm flight status before travelling.
