Monday, July 17, 2023
Air travellers in Italy face major disruption on Saturday 15 July due to a nationwide strike by airport ground staff, with baggage handling and check-in services scheduled to stop from 10.00 to 18.00.
The eight-hour strike action has been called by airport workers in protest over a failure to renew their contract which expired six years ago.
Pilots with Malta Air, which operates Ryanair flights, will be striking on Saturday from midday until 16.00, with Vueling pilots and flight attendants also set to strike from 10.00 to 18.00.
ITA Airways says it has been forced to cancel 133 domestic and international flights due to the strike, with a list of the cancelled flights available on its website.
However the Italian airline stresses that it has limited the disruption by rebooking as many passengers as possible on the first available flights, meaning that 40 per cent will be able to fly on the same day.
Italy’s civil aviation authority ENAC assures travellers that flights are guaranteed during strikes from 07.00-10.00 and 18.00-21.00.
The ENAC website also contains a list of international and domestic flights that are guaranteed to take off on Saturday.
Transport minister Matteo Salvini has said he is working to resolve the situation, calling for common sense to prevail and arguing that Italy’s summer travel season cannot be ruined by strike after strike.
The scheduled industrial action on Saturday comes two days after railway staff in Italy staged a nationwide strike, causing train cancellations and delays across the country.
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