I'm booked on a flight to Bologna this Friday 18th Oct, and I've just heard that there is a general strike on that day which will cripple all flights in to and out of Italy. My airline 'doesn't have any information' - does anyone know anything about this. Is it just scare-mongering? should I re-book? or should I relax and do nothing?!!!

Oh my gawd - I'm traveling to Itlay on Friday. Who knows something?

In the "Text Search" type-in strike and then click-on "Italy" and "Find".<BR> Read the post titled "General Strike In Italy-Oct 18 and "Train Strike In Italy-Now". Should be the 1st & 3rd one.<BR>Sorry and Good-Luck..Regards, Walter

Strikes (and threats of strikes) are a way of life in Italy. If your airline hasn't got any information about it then it probably isn't a serious threat or maybe they have already worked it out or are in the process of doing so. Where did you learn about the strike? And what KIND od strike is it supposed to be? Maybe you could call your hotel in Italy.<BR>We were in Rome a week ago and heard by the way on BBC that there was supposed to be an air traffic control strike on the Saturday that we were supposed to leave and that all flights were being rescheduled. Our airline (BA) didn't know of such a strike or any rescheduling and neither did any one else at the airport or at our hotel. Needless to say there was no strike. Caution though : On the day we were scheduled to go to Venice we did get caught in one of the railway workers' strikes and ended up having to stay an extra day in Munich...and the public transportation workers in Venice did strike when we were there...so...<BR>

JAGIRL:<BR><BR>The planned strikewill be a major one, affecting all areas of italian life, and since it has not economical but political causers, it will not (and cannot) be worked around easlily (and maybe not even hardly: I suppose, even hope, that unless Mr Berlusconi steps down from his place of Prime Minister, strikes will not stop).

Alice, as usual, is correct. There will be major disruptions and closings throughout the country, especially in the big cities. Here is the latest. If you plane gets in before 10 a.m., you may be okay.<BR><BR>AIR STRIKE will take place from 10:00 to 18:00, TRAIN STRIKE from 09:00 to<BR>17:00, LOCAL TRANSPORT (Buses) from 08:30 to 16:30.<BR>

Local transports will stop with different schedules in each city. For instance in Milano they will not run from 18,00 until midnight.