Baggage handlers at airports around Italy are set to take part in a 24-hour walkout on Wednesday.
The protest was called by FLAI, one of Italy’s largest trade unions, in late December over workers’ wages and contractual conditions.
FLAI said in a statement in January that workers demand a “realignment of wages and regulation, with rights and salaries that reflect the rising cost of living”.
“We will continue the fight until concrete salary adjustments are implemented across all handling companies,” the union added.
According to Italian media reports, Wednesday’s walkout may result in flight delays and/or cancellations at any of the following major airports: Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Rome Ciampino and Rome Fiumicino.
Flight disruption may also occur at airports in Bergamo, Verona, Bologna, Palermo, Catania, Reggio Calabria, Lamezia Terme, Crotone, Cuneo, Naples, Salerno, Venice, Cagliari and Turin.
Italy’s flag carrier ITA Airways said on Sunday that it had been forced to cancel 25 flights scheduled for Wednesday and one flight scheduled for Tuesday.
READ ALSO: ITA Airways cancels 26 flights due to Italian airport staff strike on Wednesday
Of the 26 cancelled services, four were international flights. You can find them listed below:
- AZ 226 Milan Linate - London City
- AZ 227 London City - Milan Linate
- AZ 408 Milan Linate - Frankfurt
- AZ 409 Frankfurt - Milan Linate
A full list of cancelled flights can be found here.
Further cancellations couldn’t be ruled out as ITA advised anyone who’s meant to be travelling with them on Wednesday to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport.
The airline said that passengers affected by cancellations or changes to scheduled departure times would be able to rebook their journey free of charge or, in the case of cancellations or delays of over five hours, get a full refund by Monday, February 10th, by calling +39 06 85960020.
No carrier other than ITA Airways has announced flight cancellations so far.
Should reports of further cancellations emerge in the coming hours, we will update this article accordingly.
Which flights are guaranteed?
Under Italian law, services scheduled to depart from 7am to 10am and from 6pm to 9pm are protected from strike action and should therefore go ahead as normal on Wednesday, according to Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority (Enac).
Individual airlines may also guarantee the operation of a number of flights deemed ‘essential’ on Wednesday.
For details on any potential guaranteed service, passengers are advised to get in touch with the relevant airline.
What to do if your flight is cancelled
If you're flying to, from or within the EU, you have the right to either a refund or rebooking, and the airline must always offer you the choice.
If you're booked onto a later flight and have to wait for more than two hours, you're entitled to assistance such as food and drink.
And in the case of cancellations at short notice you may also be able to claim compensation.
Find full details here.
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