Italian air transport personnel strike on 21 May to ground hundreds of flights

The strike, which begins from 12 am tonight, has already prompted airlines to scrap a handful of flights this evening and cancel dozens more in the coming days.

According to Alitalia, flights at peak times on Tuesday – 7-10am and 6-9pm – will operate as scheduled, while larger aircraft are being deployed on busy routes to carry extra passengers. While around half of Alitalia flights are cancelled on Tuesday, the airline expects 60 percent of passengers to be able to travel on the same day.

The strike, called by four unions representing pilots, cabin crew and ground staff, will also affect the airlines Blue Panorama and Blue Air. Passengers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent before setting off for the airport.

Also other airlines flying to Italy are affected.