FlyingWith Weekly Brief
FlyingWith Weekly Brief, November 2, 2026: Two Strike Days in Europe, a Closed Airport and a Bag-Drop Deadline That Moves
Published · Coverage: Monday, October 26 – Monday, November 2, 2026
Only stories that change a traveller's next decision. Every fact is date-stamped. Where a figure comes from press reporting rather than the source's own published schedule, it is labelled as reported.
November in Europe starts with calendars, not chaos — yet. Two national strike days are now fixed, one major Italian airport is closed for the entire month, and one of Europe's biggest airlines is about to make its bag-drop deadline 20 minutes stricter. Here are the five stories that change what you should check, book or pack this week.
1 / 5
Flying through France on November 5? The strike is called, but no flight has been cancelled — yet
France's five biggest union federations have called a nationwide strike for Thursday, November 5, and the decision that matters for flights — whether air traffic controllers join — lands by noon on Tuesday, November 3, Paris time.
- As of Sunday, November 1, no airline had cancelled flights and France's civil aviation authority (DGAC) had not ordered any schedule cuts; Air France had announced no cancellations. A strike notice filed on October 30 by the FO union covers DGAC staff, the ENAC aviation school and the BEA accident investigation office, but the main air traffic controllers' unions have not filed a notice of their own.
- Airport ground staff are part of the call: unions representing ground handling, security, cleaning and maintenance staff have asked their members to strike, which can slow check-in, baggage handling and turnarounds even if flights operate.
- The more certain disruption is getting to the airport: all four main SNCF rail unions have called a strike, the RER B line to Charles de Gaulle is often among the first services cut, and SNCF plans to publish its strike timetable around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4.
- Under EU rules, a cancelled flight still means a refund or a new flight, plus meals and a hotel if you are stuck overnight — but extra cash compensation is generally not owed for a general strike or an air traffic control walkout, and an airline is not responsible if you miss your flight because the trains were not running.
What it means for your trip
Check your flight again on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday evening, and plan a non-train way to CDG or Orly. FlyingWith's flight delay and compensation guide explains what a strike cancellation does and does not entitle you to.
Verify at
Your airline's flight status page and the DGAC's announcements, plus the SNCF strike timetable due around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4.
Source
The Contrail — France Strike November 5: Will Flights Be Canceled? (updated November 1, 2026).
2 / 5
Spain calls a 24-hour general strike for November 11, its first joint one in 14 years
Spain's two biggest union federations, UGT and CCOO, have called a 24-hour general strike for Wednesday, November 11, 2026 — reported as the country's first joint general strike in 14 years, with the housing crisis as the trigger, ahead of a snap election on November 29.
- Flights to, from and within Spain may be delayed or cancelled, as in past strikes involving ground staff, air traffic controllers and cabin crew; passengers on British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Iberia are among those flagged as potentially affected. The exact level of service on the day has not been published.
- Severe disruption is expected on Renfe trains, including AVE high-speed lines, along with city metros and local buses, and large marches in Madrid and Barcelona could block roads and slow airport transfers.
- Airlines must rebook or refund cancelled flights, but strike action usually counts as an extraordinary circumstance, so extra compensation is typically not owed.
- Travel insurance generally covers strike disruption only if it was bought before the strike was announced, which the report puts at October 7, 2026.
What it means for your trip
If you are booked through Spain on November 11, look at shifting to the day before or after now, while seats remain — and keep onward arrangements flexible. FlyingWith's flight delay and compensation guide sets out your rebooking and refund rights when a strike cancels a flight.
Verify at
Your booking and flight status on your airline's own website, and Renfe's service notices for November 11.
Source
I-Journey, November 1, 2026 — Spain Plans a 24-Hour Walkout That Could Strand Your November Trip, reporting the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
3 / 5
Naples airport is closed for the whole of November — your flight may now leave from Salerno
Naples Capodichino Airport is closed for the entire month of November 2026 for major runway works, so a November booking "to Naples" may no longer touch Naples airport at all.
- The closure is part of a works programme estimated at €250 million, with €30 million focused on the runway; the programme also includes a new terminal for non-Schengen flights, new aircraft stands and new road links. The airport handles around 13 million passengers a year.
- Ryanair and Aer Lingus are among the airlines that fly to Naples year-round; the report says it was not yet clear what alternative arrangements each affected airline will make, so your airline's own notice for your booking is the document that counts.
- A shuttle bus between Naples Piazza Garibaldi and Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport will operate at a cost of €12. The airport is set to reopen on November 30, per the report.
What it means for your trip
Open your booking before you travel: if your November flight moved to Salerno, your transfer time and plan change with it. If the alternative does not work for you, FlyingWith's flight delay and compensation guide explains when a schedule change entitles you to a refund instead.
Verify at
Your airline's own notice for your booking — the report says each affected airline's alternative arrangements were not yet clear.
Source
Europe Says (Ireland), October 31, 2026 — All flights suspended as major European airport to close for a month
4 / 5
Ryanair bag drop closes 60 minutes before departure from November 10 — 20 minutes earlier than today
From Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Ryanair's airport bag drop services at all of its airports close 60 minutes before scheduled departure instead of the current 40 minutes.
- The change affects the roughly 20% of Ryanair passengers who check in a bag. The remaining 80% who check in online and travel without a checked bag are unaffected and continue straight to security.
- Ryanair says the earlier cutoff gives passengers with bags more time to clear security and passport control and reach the gate, and is meant to reduce the small number of passengers who miss flights in security queues. The change was first revealed in April 2026.
- The deadline is about having dropped the bag, not about arriving at the airport: on a 10:00 flight, a bag that reaches the desk at 9:05 from November 10 is too late, even though the flight is still 55 minutes away.
What it means for your trip
Travelling cabin-bag-only avoids the new cutoff entirely — run your bag through FlyingWith's baggage checker before you pay for a checked bag you may not need.
Verify at
Ryanair's own airport information and your booking on ryanair.com — the bag-drop time for your airport is stated there.
Source
TravelExtra (Ireland), November 2, 2026 — Eight days to go: before Ryanair brings forward bag drop deadline
5 / 5
Drones shut Jersey Airport to evening arrivals two nights running
Illegal drone activity near Jersey Airport closed its runway to arrivals on two consecutive evenings, Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 — flights were turned back to the UK, one was diverted to Paris, and several were cancelled.
- On Friday, the first drone report came at about 8:20 p.m. and reports continued until about 10:30 p.m. Three inbound flights — Loganair from Southampton, British Airways from London Heathrow and easyJet from London Gatwick — were turned back; the easyJet flight eventually landed at about 11:45 p.m. after the airport stayed open late.
- On Saturday, drone activity shortly after 8 p.m. reportedly closed the runway until about 10 p.m. Four flights could not land as planned, an inbound charter from Madeira was diverted to Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Loganair's 8:30 p.m. flight from Southampton was cancelled; reports differ on whether the evening London flights were cancelled or long delayed.
- The airport blamed "illegal and persistent drone activity" and said airlines were arranging other travel directly with affected passengers. Police searches had not identified who was flying the drones, and the Jersey government said it is working with UK authorities on better drone detection and counter-drone technology, with no start date announced.
What it means for your trip
On an island route, the last flight of the day is the fragile one — if it turns back, there is no later option. Keep essentials in your cabin bag and check your flight status before leaving home; FlyingWith's flight delay and compensation guide covers what to ask for when a cancellation strands you overnight.
Verify at
Jersey Airport's own notices and your flight's status on your airline's website before you leave home.
Source
NonRev Travel News, November 1, 2026 — Drones Shut Jersey Airport to Evening Arrivals Two Nights Running (reporting ITV News and AeroTime).
Corrections
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