Italy's unions have wasted no time in scheduling a series of walkouts for early September after holding off for more than a month during the peak holiday period.

The nationwide franchigia estiva (summer exemption period), which bans unions from organising any strikes affecting Italy's air and rail transport sectors, has been in place since July 27th and ends on September 5th.

READ ALSO: The transport strikes to expect in Italy this September

The ban doesn't cover local public transport, so some smaller-scale walkouts have gone ahead this summer - though disruption tends to be minimal, particularly as many residents leave Italy's towns and cities for August.

Rail passengers face the first disruption within days of the ban lifting. A 24-hour nationwide strike runs from the evening of September 7th to the evening of September 8th, affecting Trenitalia and other national rail operators. Rail workers around Verona are also set to strike a few days later, from September 10th to 11th.

Security and ground handling staff at airports in Rome, Pisa and Florence are set to walk out on September 13th, and air traffic staff strike nationally on September 30th for four hours in the afternoon, though there was no indication yet of how many staff were expected to join the strikes or how disruptive they would be.

EXPLAINED: Why are there so many transport strikes in Italy?

A national general strike on September 26th will hit transport alongside schools, healthcare and other public services nationwide.

For anyone with travel plans in the coming weeks, the message is the same one that applies during every Italian strike: check the status of your flight or rail service before you set off, and leave extra time for delays.