Flag-carrier ITA Airways and six transport unions clinched a draft collective agreement on 7 July after year-long talks. The deal – still subject to board and workforce approval – raises total compensation by an average 30 % across ground staff, cabin crew and pilots, extends the national air-transport CCNL to end-2027 and the corporate contract to end-2028, and introduces one-off bonuses ranging from €1 500 to €4 500. The breakthrough is strategically important for Lufthansa, which finalised a 90 % takeover of ITA in June and wants industrial peace to roll out its 2027 network plan. Italian aviation has been hit by recurring strikes: ITA cancelled 122 flights during a 5 July walk-out. Union leaders say the accord ‘recognises the value of labour’ and doubles welfare provisions such as meal vouchers and supplementary pensions. For mobility professionals the agreement reduces the probability of disruptive company-specific strikes during the busy summer period, though nationwide air-traffic-control actions remain on the calendar. Travellers booked on ITA in Q3-Q4 should nevertheless keep contingency routings until the pact is ratified and integrated into rosters. The accord also aligns per-diem allowances to international benchmarks and introduces flexible part-time blocks in summer – changes that could make ITA schedules more resilient when temperatures trigger crew-duty issues at Italian airports. HR teams relocating staff to or from Italy may find improved seat availability on ITA’s Europe–US and intra-EU routes as the carrier ramps up utilisation.
Source: Air Journal
