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Alitalia Says Walkouts Likely to Cause Massive Flight Delays

Posted on: Tuesday, 24 January 2006, 09:00 CST

Alitalia says walkouts likely to cause massive flight delays

ROME, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Italia's Alitalia said on Monday that the wildcat strikes could cause massive flight delyas, while the government warned that the airline would face bankruptcy if the labor action was allowed to continue.

The troubled state-owned company said in a statement that the protests could cause some 250 delays and cancellations Monday. Protests had scrapped 121 flights Sunday.

Alitalia workers gathered at Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci airport after unions called off a 24-hour strike schedualed for Monday, showing their concern over the restructuring plans, which include cutting jobs and spinning off the airline's flight unit from ground services business.

Labor Minister Roberto Maroni had stressed that the government will not lend a hand in the company's crisis.

The European Union would not allow the government to bail out the airline, as it has done in the past, a local newspaper quoted him as saying. He believed bankruptcy may be "positive for Alitalia in the long run."

Officials believed more disturbance in air traffic was expected before a meeting planned for Wednesday between unions and government representatives.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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