More than 100 flights were cancelled and an additional 200 disrupted in Italy today during a four-hour national strike by air traffic controllers.
National carrier Alitalia cancelled a total of 106 flights including 42 international ones, and changed flight times for a further 209 scheduled flights.
Italian carrier Meridiana also cancelled eight flights and rescheduled 21.
Non-Italian carriers were also affected by the strike: both Air France and Lufthansa made several flight cancellations, and British Airways made changes to its flight schedule.
Italian air traffic controllers have been working without a contract for the past year. Unions say their work day has been prolonged and that management is refusing to negotiate.
A joint strike last Wednesday by air traffic controllers in France, Greece, Italy, Hungary and Portugal caused massive travel disruption across Europe, as the sector protested plans to create an EU-wide airspace.
The controversial plans would create a unified control space for the skies above all 15 European Union countries, replacing the current system of national flight monitoring and guidance.
AFP