Thousands of holidaymakers are facing disruption on Saturday due to an Italian air-transport strike.
Ground staff stopped working at airports at 10am, and will not return to work until 6pm this evening.
Pilots and cabin crew for Vueling are striking at the same time. Meanwhile, pilots for Malta Air, which operates some Ryanair flights, are halting work between midday and 4pm.
Consumer association Codacons has estimated that around 1,000 flights have been cancelled. That will see around 25,0,000 passengers affected as a result of the protest.
At Naples airport alone 118 flights have been cancelled, while 150 were scrapped at Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports.
ITA Airways said it has had to cancel 133 domestic and international flights.
Codacons said it has filed complaints at criminal prosecutors in 104 Italian towns and cities and at the national audit court over the alleged illegal interruption of a public service.
Why did they call an air-transport strike?
Multiple unions called the nationwide airport staff strike regarding talks for a new collective contract.
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said the companies, workers and ENAC would meet the following week to continue negotiations.
However, there is some good news. Air traffic control company ENAV (ENAV.MI) has confirmed there will be no strikes in the Italian air transport sector between July 27 and Sept. 5 due to a summer exemption provided for in the industry regulations.
