Air travellers in Italy are facing disruptions on 08SEP due to a series of 24-hour strikes by airport and airline workers, reports Business Travel News Europe.
Three separate 24-hour national strikes were called by unions Usb, Cub Transport and Flai Transport and services, which respectively represent airline personnel, airport workers and ground handers. The unions are also be holding local walkouts at various times, according to Italy’s Strike Guarantee Commission.
Reports say that Italy's national carrier ITA Airways has cancelled more than 30 domestic flights in response. In a statement on its website, the airline said it has implemented “an extraordinary plan to limit the inconvenience of passengers by rebooking the largest possible number of travellers involved in the cancellations on the first available flights.”
According to National World, affected Italian airports include MXP, VCE, TSF and VRN.
However, Italian law requires a minimum level of essential services at airports to continue even during strike action. The country's National Civil Aviation Authority said all flights scheduled between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time are proceeding as planned.
This is not the first time travel in Italy has been disrupted by strikes this year. As previously reported by Open Jaw, baggage handlers, as well as pilots at Malta Air and pilots and flight attendants at low-cost carrier Vueling went on strike on 15JUL.
Europe as a whole has also been facing many strikes this summer that disrupted air travel. As reported by Open Jaw, 33,300 flights across Europe were cancelled over 05-11APR 2023 alone.
