Alitalia flights from Heathrow to Rome and Milan Malpensa have been cancelled today along with inbound services during a strike by Italian transport unions.
The work stoppage at the airline was expected to last four hours between 11am and 3pm UK Time, although trains, buses and ferries across Italy will halt for eight hours in a strike against cuts in public services. Staff at car rental firms also stopped work.
Alitalia advised passengers to check the flight status page on its website.
Transport union leaders described the action as the biggest in the sector for 25 years. However, Alitalia has been hit by stoppages during a protracted process of privatisation that has already taken more than a year.
British Airways and private equity partner TPG are reported to be showing a belated interest in taking over the debt-ridden Italian flag carrier. However, the smart money remains on Air France-KLM if it can extract the conditions it seeks from Italy’s government.