Alitalia cancels flights during 4-hour strike planned for Monday at Italian airports

Alitalia cancels flights before airport strike

ROME — Italy’s national carrier Alitalia said it had canceled or delayed flights across the country because of a four-hour strike Monday by pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers.

Unions said the noon-to-4 p.m. (1100-1500 GMT; 7-11 a.m. EDT) strike also involved personnel of the smaller carrier Meridiana Fly, but the airline said that none of its scheduled flights would be affected.

Unions for pilots and flight attendants say they are striking to protest Alitalia’s restructuring plans. Baggage handlers, meanwhile, are complaining about the failure to negotiate a new contract after two years.

In a statement, Alitalia said it was cutting an undetermined number of flights during the four-hour strike window and that passengers would be ticketed for other flights during the day.