Travellers using Calabria’s main gateway should brace for disruption: staff of SACAL Ground Handling at Lamezia Terme Airport commenced a four-hour strike from 12:00 to 16:00 today. The action, logged by the Transport Ministry’s strike observatory, covers ramp, baggage-loading and check-in personnel and was called by the UGL Trasporto Aereo union over alleged ‘systemic understaffing’ and unpaid night-shift premiums. Although the strike is regional, Lamezia is a critical spoke for southern Italy’s domestic network and a transfer point for charter traffic to the Tyrrhenian coast. Ryanair, Volotea and ITA Airways have issued travel alerts advising passengers to arrive early and to keep cabin baggage to a minimum to ease manual processing. Under Italy’s minimum-service rules, at least one departure per carrier in each time-band must be protected, but handling stoppages can still delay aircraft turnaround and lead to missed connections in Rome or Milan. Forwarders should note that perishable exports – notably Calabrian citrus bound for northern Europe – will receive priority on the limited ramp capacity that remains. Local media report that management offered a phased hiring plan but unions rejected it as insufficient ahead of the July tourist spike. A follow-up strike has been pre-announced for 19 July if talks fail. For corporates routing staff to regional plants in Calabria, contingency options include nearby Crotone airport (limited schedule) or rail via Lamezia’s Centrale station – a 15-minute taxi ride from the terminal.
Source: ScioperoTrasporti.it
