kello

I'm travelling to Italy in 5 days for a business trip and got this information on possible/announced strikes in Italy in my company mail. Thought I'd pass it along! Note -- it does say that sometimes the Italian unions abort the strikes. Thought it might be useful to some at any rate.

Transportation: UPDATE 1: Officials in Italy announce further transportation strikes planned for September. Anticipate delays or cancellations on strike dates.

This alert affects Italy.

This alert began 28 Aug 2006 03:35 GMT and is scheduled to expire 29 Sep 2006 23:59 GMT.

UPDATE 1 to Aug. 26; new intelligence in [brackets]:

Italian officials announced further strikes planned for the month of September:

[Sept. 6: Air Traffic controllers in Rome to strike for 8 hours from 1000.]

Sept. 6: Trenitalia State Railroad (Ferrovie dello Stato - FS) employees in Tuscany Region plan to launch a three-hour strike from 1130; the strike is likely to have the greatest impact in Florence.

[Sept. 7: Alitalia workers to strike for 24 hours beginning 0001.]

[Sept. 7: Meridiana (IG) pilots to strike for 24 hours from 0001.]

Sept. 7: Trenitalia State Railroad (Ferrovie dello Stato - FS) employees in Villa San Giovanni and Reggio Calabria plan to launch a 24-hour strike from 2100.

[Sept. 9: Verona-Valerio Catullo (VRN) airport personnel to strike for 8 hours beginning 1000.]

Sept. 13: Trenitalia State Railroad (Ferrovie dello Stato - FS) employees plan to launch an eight-hour strike from 1000.

Sept. 15: Local public transportation personnel plan to launch a 24-hour nationwide strike from 0001. The action will affect buses, tramways, subways and some local trains.

[Sept. 18: Baggage handlers at Rome Ciampino (CIA) and Fiumicini (FCO) to strike for 4 hours from 1200.]

[Sept. 27: Air traffic controllers in Milan and Brindisi to strike for 4 hours from 1200.]

Sept. 27: Trenitalia State Railroad (Ferrovie dello Stato - FS) employees plan to launch an eight-hour nationwide strike from 0900.

[Sept. 29: Airport personnel at Florence Airport (FLR) to strike for 8 hours from 1000.]

[Sept. 29: Baggage handlers at Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Linate (LIN) airports to strike for 4 hours from 1230.]

Confirm reservations if traveling on strike dates. Italian law requires unions to announce work stoppages in advance, but other labor groups may opt to join strikes without warning.

Italian unions often abort strikes at the last minute. Assume the work stoppages will occur as planned and make alternate arrangements in case of service delays or cancellations. Contact information for major Italian transportation providers:

Airports of Rome: www.adr.it (phone: 39-06-65951)
Alitalia: www.alitalia.com
Trenitalia: www.trenitalia.com

PeggyE

Where did you get this info? We will be in the air bound for Rome on Sept 6th!

kello

Peggy, corporate travel sends it out to us automatically if we are scheduled to go somewhere (I'm leaving for Italy on the 1st), so it came from there. I don't know what the origin of the information is though. There must be a site somewhere that is updated periodically?

kello

Peggy - are you taking Alitalia into Rome (leaving the 6th, arriving the 7th?)? Hopefully you won't be affected by the 24hr strike on the 7th!

Maybe someone can comment on how often these 'announcements' play out. I really don't know.

lola34

Kello,

Can you keep us updated? Or once you find out how we can find out info, let us know. My husband and I will be going to Italy on the 10th of September. Thanks!

cls2paris

Hi - this website might be helpful for checking on possible strikes.

http://www.whatsoninrome.com/strikes.php

cls2paris

I forgot to mention that it is for Rome, but there is a link to the official strike page - written in Italian.

kello

Found out that the info comes from worldcue.ijet.com -- but I think you have to have an account to get it. I'll post any updates that come up in the next week, but I think this covers the 'announced' strikes for September.

PeggyE

We are leaving LAX on Lufthansa on the 5th, 3 hour layover in Munich, and scheduled to arrive in Rome 4:30pm on the 6th.
Please post anything you find out, I would really appreciate it! I just started getting all excited today & then I hear this.......

PeggyE

What does this mean?? "8 hours air strike (1000-1800) of Enav acc flight controllers in Rome" Is that all flight controllers?

kadurk49

My daughter and I got caught up in the train stike situation 4 years ago. We were in Assisi and heading back to Rome to have a "full day" in Rome prior to leaving the next morning. As we sat on the train platform we noticed that we were the ONLY ones on the platform. I told her I thought "something is wrong with this picture" and fortunately an English speaking person came along and told us we would be stuck until 6 p.m. and we should book immediately on the eurostar as they usually do not stike and that one would be along then. So needless to say, plan for problems and allow yourself that extra time "just in case". Same daughter loved Italy so much she has been living there for the last 1 1/2 and now understands Italian! Enjoy and just go with the flow, you have no choice.

PeggyE

Well if we know for sure there is a strike of air traffic controllers, I would rather not be in the air! But the airlines will not acknowledge the strike until 72 hours prior so it is annoying since that will loss us a day in Rome & our Vatican reservations.

kello

Peggy, I found this site about Italian air traffic control (to help answer what ENAV and ACC are). Can't get a feel for whether this means all air traffic control will strike that day. I hope not!

kello

Forgot the link: http://www.enav.it/english/servizi/gestione.html

PeggyE

wow, bummer, that would be all flights into Rone Sept 6th from 10:00am until 6:00pm...then you can imagine the back up...only hope I guess is for them to cancel. I am depressed.....been waiting since January for this trip..

PalQ

At least on trains the unions and government i believe have guaranteed that a certain number of trains are 'strike immune' and will run. These used to be noted in the timetable booklets sold at stations and perhaps is now on trenitalia.com.
Welcome to Italy!

PeggyE

thanks but somehow that doesn't make me feel any better...do they usually wait until the last minute to cancel scheduled strikes? You would think with all that is going on in air travel right now, people wouldn't add to the confusion...

LoveItaly

Hi Peggy, I arrived at Amsterdam Airport one time (from SFO on a KLM flight) to find out that the aircontrollers in Italy were on strike. Consequently my KLM City Hopper flight did not leave for Venice.
I was stuck at Amsterdam for hours but I must say if you have to be stuck somewhere that is the airport to be in.

Anway I was amazed as once the Italian Aircontrollers strike was over KLM had their flights ready to go and although of course I was much later getting to Venice than scheduled it really amazed me how well the boarding of the plane, the efficiancy of the Amsterdam Airport and KLM were. I guess they have experienced this so many times they know what to do to make it as efficient as possible. But if the strike takes place you will be getting into Rome much later than originally scheduled. Yes, welcome to Italy!

BTW, this is why I would never rely on the train system in Italy to get to an airport in Italy on the day I have to catch a flight. I have also had experiences with trains being quite late also even though there was no strike.

PeggyE

Thanks LoveItaly, I just wanted to be so excited this week & so it feels like the wind has been taken out of my sails. I'm spending all my FF miles for first class but we may then be sitting in Munich for awhile, flying Lufthansa. Anyway, I will keep my fingers crossed for a cancellation on the strike! After finally making it to Rome, we will be drving through Tuscany & Chianti for a week then to Venice.

LoveItaly

Oh Peggy, continue to be excited!! You are going to have a wonderful trip in beautiful Italy. Were you planning on spending some time in Rome when you first arrive? If not you might think about renting a room in Rome for the evening you arrive as if there is a strike you will be a bit tired. But flying first class will certainly be a big help. Do keep in mind that in Italy at least the strikes, if they take place, are set for a certain time versus worrying about how long they will last.

Keep that excitement going Peggy, and do give us a trip report after you get back home and settled in!! Best regards.