From identity cards to hand luggage: the new rules you need to know before going on holiday

At Italian airports it is no longer compulsory to show an identification document together with the boarding pass at the gate for all domestic and European flights in the Schengen area. But, the documents - points out the National Aviation Authority Pierluigi De Palma - must always be carried and available for any verification. All the necessary security controls remain in place. The novelty, Enac confirms, is already operational. "There is a lot of loss of time at the bureaucratic level. By removing the obligation, we also board faster,' explains De Palma, to the puzzlement of consumers. 'Air transport safety comes before speed,' Codacons observes.

The novelty would affect some 51 million Italian passengers travelling to Schengen area countries and would reduce the duration of boarding controls by 50%. But this does not exclude the possibility of compulsorily showing an identity document if required, together with the boarding pass at the gate for all domestic and European flights. The documents, points out the president of the National Civil Aviation Authority, Pierluigi Di Palma, must however 'always be carried and available for any verification'.

In order not to be unprepared for departure, one should keep in mind the changes that are taking place at the controls. In the event of lost or damaged luggage, you will be able to count on faster reimbursement and better defined responsibilities on the part of carriers. One of the big innovations concerns the size of hand luggage: thanks to the new rules, airlines will have to clearly and uniformly indicate the permitted dimensions and costs. No more surprises at the gate or sudden surcharges. In addition, a small piece of hand luggage will always have to be included free of charge, even in low-cost tickets: this is a minimum right granted to all passengers.

By 2026, all EU countries will have to adopt a digital wallet. With the It wallet, which is part of the European project European digital identity wallet, it will be possible to have a series of documents on one's smartphone: in a first step health card, disability card, then driving licence, and later other digital 'attributes', also from private providers.

For domestic flights in Italy, in addition to an identity card or passport, you can also use other identification documents such as a driving licence, nautical licence or pension booklet.