The four-hour walk-out by crew of Danish-Lithuanian regional airline DAT LT—key operator of Sicily’s territorial-continuity routes—added a further layer of complexity to the already strike-hit Sunday. From 13:00 to 17:00 all DAT departures from Palermo, Trapani, Catania and Pantelleria were cancelled, though flights to and from Lampedusa were exempted by a prefectural injunction because of Pope Leo XVI’s visit there the previous day.
Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) says DAT has no Italian collective agreement, pays below-market salaries and ignores seniority. The union wants a 22 % inflation catch-up and formal recognition of in-house staff representation.
![Regional carrier DAT LT strikes, but island lifeline flights kept running]()
For international employees suddenly scrambling to reach Sicily during the walk-out, ensuring that travel documentation is up to date can be just as urgent as finding an alternative flight or hydrofoil. VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) can fast-track Schengen business visas, crew transit permits and other Italy-related paperwork, giving mobility managers one less variable to worry about while they juggle contingency routing and accommodation.
Management argues that DAT operates thin public-service-obligation (PSO) routes with capped fares and has little pricing power to finance pay increases. Critical for mobility managers is the fact that DAT provides the only year-round link between Pantelleria and Sicily’s main cities; cancellations forced business travellers to rebook on the twice-daily Liberty Lines hydrofoil, adding six hours door-to-door. USB warns of further actions during the Ferragosto holiday if the impasse persists. Companies with operations on Sicily’s minor islands should maintain contingency hotel blocks in Palermo or Catania for stranded staff.
Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) says DAT has no Italian collective agreement, pays below-market salaries and ignores seniority. The union wants a 22 % inflation catch-up and formal recognition of in-house staff representation.
For international employees suddenly scrambling to reach Sicily during the walk-out, ensuring that travel documentation is up to date can be just as urgent as finding an alternative flight or hydrofoil. VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) can fast-track Schengen business visas, crew transit permits and other Italy-related paperwork, giving mobility managers one less variable to worry about while they juggle contingency routing and accommodation.
Management argues that DAT operates thin public-service-obligation (PSO) routes with capped fares and has little pricing power to finance pay increases. Critical for mobility managers is the fact that DAT provides the only year-round link between Pantelleria and Sicily’s main cities; cancellations forced business travellers to rebook on the twice-daily Liberty Lines hydrofoil, adding six hours door-to-door. USB warns of further actions during the Ferragosto holiday if the impasse persists. Companies with operations on Sicily’s minor islands should maintain contingency hotel blocks in Palermo or Catania for stranded staff.
