Alitalia Strike - have question

Jun 13th, 2001, 06:48 AM

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Alitalia Strike - have question

I am scheduled to arrive in Rome from NY on a day that the Alitalia employees are scheduled to go on strike. The strike is supposed to start at 10am. Our plane arrives at 11:30 am Does anyone know what kind of delays I should expect? Thanks

Jun 13th, 2001, 07:11 AM

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Just to clarify it's the aiport staff that is going on strike.

Jun 13th, 2001, 07:16 AM

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I'd strongly suggest you contact Alitalia. Unless there is someone on this forum who is a member of the union I suspect if you get any answer here it's unlikely to be reliable. My >>guess<< is that if it's the NY Alitalia staff that is going on strike it may be a similar situation to what happens when the Rome staff goes on strike ... passengers unload their own bags. At the very least will have to go to the airplane and claim the bags off the tarmac. Not likely to be a pretty picture. twenj

Jun 14th, 2001, 07:10 AM

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ED It's the Italy airport staff that is going on strike. accorging to www.iht.com/global it's a country wide strike. We will be landing in Rome on June 22nd at 11:30 am and the strike is supposed to start at 10am (Rome time) If we have to unload our own bags would be a pain but it's better than not getting our bags at all that day. I called Alitalia and they just told be that if it happens to expect delays on luggage (that was one person I spoke to) Another that I spoke to says that they have non union people standing by to help passengers. Thanks

Jun 14th, 2001, 07:14 AM

xxx

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italy

Jun 14th, 2001, 08:02 AM

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Sorry, I read it backwards didn't I? Yes, the timing of the strike, of course, is set to inconvenience the inbounds. The Italian unions run very precise strikes, specifically designed to annoy their customers. Which is the reason Alitalia has gone through at least four bankruptcies ("recapitalizations") that I can recall in the last 25 or so years. Yes, they'll have some staff to help. That's varied in the past from very extended delay in getting bags to going out to the tarmac as I mentioned. I don't know of any case, though, where the bags have not been available. You'd better believe Alitalia wants to fill that 100 million dollar airplane up with more passengers and bags and get it flying again!

Jun 14th, 2001, 08:49 AM

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When I flew into CDG-Paris in May 99 the luggage handlers were on strike. KLM flew in a pair of luggage handlers with us from Amsterdam. People with checked luggage exited the plane down the steps to the tarmac and picked their luggage off the cart beside the plane. Then, we carried it up the service steps into the loading tube... The airport was a zoo. People and luggaeg piled everywhere. Luckily, no customs between Holland and France. I don't know what outbound passengers did...