Hundreds of Flights Affected By Strike in Italy

A strike by airport staff in Italy has resulted in the grounding of hundreds of flights, causing disruption for approximately 250,000 travelers in one of the world's major tourist destinations. 

Airport and airline authorities reported that around 1,000 domestic and international flights were canceled as a result of the strike. The strike, initiated by ground crew members, is a result of their demand for a new collective contract, six years after the previous one expired. The strike was scheduled to take place from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The airport in Rome experienced the cancellation of around 200 flights, while flights handled by Malta Air, which facilitates transfers for popular budget carriers like Ryanair, Vueling, and Ita Airways, were also affected due to pilots joining the strike. Milan's airports saw approximately 150 flight cancellations, and dozens of others were grounded in Turin and Palermo.

In response to the strike, Transport Minister Matteo Salvini urged the strikers to exercise "common sense" in order to avoid causing harm to millions of other workers and tourists.