Data network fault disrupts flights across Italy, ENAV rules out attack
A fault in the data network behind Italy's air traffic control cut the number of planes it could handle on Friday, Il Sole 24 Ore and Corriere della Sera reported. Flights were delayed and canceled across the country. ENAV, which runs air traffic control in Italy, said the fault was not caused by an attack.
A fault in the data transmission network that supports air traffic control across Italy disrupted flights for hours on Friday, Il Sole 24 Ore and Corriere della Sera reported. Air traffic manager ENAV reduced capacity in Italian airspace from 6 a.m. local time to keep operations safe, Il Sole 24 Ore reported.
Capacity was cut by about 50%, then rose to 75% and returned to 100% around 3 p.m., Corriere della Sera reported. At least 200 flights were canceled, about 8% of those scheduled, Corriere reported. Aviation analytics firm Cirium calculated that about 70% of flights took off late, Corriere reported. Airports in the north were hit hardest, with cancellation rates of 10% to 11%, Corriere reported.
ENAV said flights were handled safely using a secondary satellite network, Il Sole 24 Ore reported. "It has been ruled out that the anomalies are attributable to malicious activity," ENAV said, according to Il Sole 24 Ore. Corriere reported that ENAV ruled out a hacker attack or sabotage. ENAV later said the network problems had been resolved and capacity was back to 100%, Il Sole 24 Ore reported.
At Turin's airport, five departures and five arrivals had been canceled by about 10:30 a.m., Il Sole 24 Ore reported. At Rome's Fiumicino airport, four flights were canceled and about 20 were delayed by 15 to 60 minutes that morning, Il Sole 24 Ore reported. Departures at Milan's Malpensa airport showed delays from half an hour to more than two hours, the paper reported.
ENAV said it was working with outside suppliers, starting with TIM, which manages and maintains the data network, Il Sole 24 Ore reported. Infrastructure and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini blamed the network. "This isn't Salvini's fault; there is a disruption to ENAV's data transmission network, which is managed by TIM, so I am asking TIM's technicians to do their utmost to restore normal service," he said, according to Il Sole 24 Ore. Travelers were advised to check their flight status with their airlines, ANSA reported.
What we know: A data network fault cut Italy's air traffic capacity for much of Friday, and ENAV says it was not an attack.
What we don't: What caused the network fault and whether TIM will be held responsible for the disruption.
Where outlets agree Il Sole 24 Ore and Corriere della Sera both report that a data network fault cut Italian air traffic capacity on Friday and that ENAV ruled out malicious activity.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.