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. 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.
Source: Pantelleria Notizie
