Around 25 delegates travelling to a travel agency
conference in Italy have been affected by a snap strike by baggage
handlers at Naples Airport.
Bosses of agency consortium Advantage maintained the event in
Sorrento had still got off to an “excellent” start despite 25 of
the 475 delegates on their way to the conference today (Friday)
being forced to divert to Rome and endure a four-hour coach transit
or wait for later flights.
Most delegates arrived on Thursday for this weekend’s annual
conference. However, some were due to fly on today’s British
Airways’ early morning service from Gatwick.
But the Boeing 737 flight was cancelled “due to industrial
action” by Naples Airport ground handlers, said a BA
spokeswoman.
To compensate, BA is using a larger Boeing 777 aircraft on its
two later outbound flights, and expects all delayed passengers to
arrive in Naples by the end of today.
The delegates missed the conference’s “speed dating session” for
tour operators and travel agents and may also have to forgo
tonight’s conference welcome party.
Advantage managing director John McEwan said he was delighted
with the success of the speed dating networking event – which aims
to address the common complaint that agents and operators are not
given enough opportunity to mingle at trade conferences.
He said more than 1,000 15-minute appointments had been
prebooked but expected the final figure to be double that.
“The vast majority of people are already here,” he said. “If the
strike had happened on Thursday then it would have been a problem.
It’s going really well. The event is packed. We are giving people
value for money as we are bringing them together so they can do
their deals.”