A simmering labour dispute at ITA Airways took a fresh twist on 16 January when the carrier asked Italy’s civil-aviation authority (ENAC) to delay a make-or-break meeting with maintenance firm Atitech until 29 January. Unions Filt-CGIL, Fit-CISL, UILTrasporti and UGL Trasporto Aereo issued a joint statement accusing the airline of jeopardising a definitive solution to staffing and outsourcing rows that have already triggered wild-cat actions at Milan Linate and Naples.
At the heart of the dispute is ITA’s restructuring of maintenance-repair-overhaul (MRO) contracts inherited from Alitalia. Atitech claims critical tasks were shifted to third-party vendors, undermining job security for its workforce. The conflict escalated on 14 January when unions filed notice of a 24-hour ground-handling strike for 16 February, the height of Milan Fashion Week and a peak period for corporate travel.
![ITA Airways Postpones ENAC Crisis Meeting, Unions Warn of Wider February Strike]()
Although no immediate flight cancellations have been announced, travel managers are already reporting a dip in February bookings on the lucrative Milan-Rome shuttle. Companies that rely on Linate for crew rotation or high-value cargo should map alternative options via high-speed rail or rerouted flights through Bologna and Turin.
Experts advise inserting flexible re-routing clauses into February tickets, briefing travellers on EU-261 rights, and monitoring ENAC updates closely. Should the 29 January talks collapse, unions have hinted at escalating to a 48-hour national strike in March, which would coincide with several trade-fair events in northern Italy.
At the heart of the dispute is ITA’s restructuring of maintenance-repair-overhaul (MRO) contracts inherited from Alitalia. Atitech claims critical tasks were shifted to third-party vendors, undermining job security for its workforce. The conflict escalated on 14 January when unions filed notice of a 24-hour ground-handling strike for 16 February, the height of Milan Fashion Week and a peak period for corporate travel.
Although no immediate flight cancellations have been announced, travel managers are already reporting a dip in February bookings on the lucrative Milan-Rome shuttle. Companies that rely on Linate for crew rotation or high-value cargo should map alternative options via high-speed rail or rerouted flights through Bologna and Turin.
Experts advise inserting flexible re-routing clauses into February tickets, briefing travellers on EU-261 rights, and monitoring ENAC updates closely. Should the 29 January talks collapse, unions have hinted at escalating to a 48-hour national strike in March, which would coincide with several trade-fair events in northern Italy.
Source: VisaHQ Global Mobility News
