Hi -

For anyone travelling to Italy in the near future - there are a number of strikes in the public transport sector upcoming:

12 Jan - FS (Trenitalia) staff. 8 hrs

19 Jan - Alitalia staff. 8-24 hrs

26/27 Jan - FS staff. 24 hrs commencing 26/1 at 21.00

30 Jan - Air traffic contollers. 4 hrs.

09 Feb - Alitalia pilots. 4 hrs.

10 Feb - Alitalia flights assistants. 24 hrs.

... etc.

Steve

Topping...

Be aware that when Alitalia strikes it affects airlines that code share with them, too. We found this out the hard way when we tried to come home on Air France from Venice on Nov 25. Alitalia was striking, and since our flight was a code share with Air France, our flight was cancelled.

Is there a web site that lists these strikes? Going in June, would be helpful to know in advance. thanks

www.seekitaly.com. But be sure to check in the last two or three weeks before the dates in question, as strikes are announced in advance, but not THAT much in advance.

Lori - I always use the Italian press and RAI as they are most likely to be up to date.

This link (in Italian) should also be accurate as it's a government website:

http://www.infrastrutturetrasporti.i...9e1019b6060cdd

Hope this helps ...

Steve

ttt

Thank you, Steve James.
We leave in 16 days. May I ask, what is with the 8hrs, 4hrs, etc. Do they announce the strike and then only strike for that amount of hours, unlike here in the states when strikes could last for months... Please clarify for me if you would.

We purchased tickets for Florence to Venice (travleing 1/31) at the Trenitalia site and have our confirmation email, perhaps I need to formulate a back up plan in case the strike would affect that date.

Thanks much, Tiff

The strike we "enjoyed" was scheduled, as Steve_James indicates, in terms of number of hours. In our case, boats were on strike 9-12 and pilots were on strike 12-4. Our flight was at 12:25 and therefore within the strike time...so we stayed in Venice for an extra day.

Strikes in Italy are organized for a specific time period...very unlike strikes here in the US.

Thanks, Beanweb24.

Beautiful, how wonderfully organized of them, kind of like calling in for a sick day back here in the states, no?



I guess if you have to stay anywhere an extra day, Venice is a good spot. Ironically we also 'have' to stay an extra day in Venice due to NWA changing our return flight, the nerve, huh?

Hee!

Oops, forgot to mention that it's the 'travel alerts' section of seekitaly.com. I can vouch for this site since it correctly predicted a strike that affected us in April 2004. It also has other general warnings about Italy of possible interest to travellers.

Strike of Jan 19 for Alitalia staff has been cancelled, according to latest update.

It also lists a 4 hours strike Jan 21st of Milan air traffic controllers (1200 - 1600) in addition to the ones Steve James mentioned.

Thanks Sue ~ I will check periodically until we leave on the 25th.