Many thanks irishguy28 for the heads up and the terms and conditions.
We were booked to fly LHR- NAP on the 5th.
We got a very basic email telling us that our LIN-NAP leg was cancelled, due to strike, but, lucky us, the LHR-LIN leg was still good.
Then we got a difficult to understand email that, our flights to NAP were now rescheduled to the 7th, two days after the 5th. Again,lucky us.
So forearmed with irishguy28's posting, I went to Expertflyer, just about everything including the BA direct flights were booked out for the 5th, but checking with Easyjet there was availability with several of their direct flights from the various London airports, with a no cost 24hr cancellation fee. Booked seats with them.
Then I tried to phone the AZ contact number given in the strike notice email. You get a recorded message in Italian which basically (I think) tells you to phone back because they have gone home for the day.
The next morning I rang the UK AZ service number. Got the Albanian (?) call center, nice man looked up my booking and confirmed that yes we were affected by the strike, and proudly told me that we had been rebooked for the 7th.
"well," I said, "that will be interesting, as we are supposed to be flying with you on the 7th, at exactly the same time as you have rescheduled us, from Naples to Venice. Just how exactly are we going to work this?"
I just straight out asked for a full refund.This then caused some confusion and a wait on hold while he spoke to his supervisor. In the end I was told the flights would be refunded, but he could not do it, it would have to be done by head office in Rome.
I asked for an email confirming this but was advised that that was not possible, and Rome would send me one, "after they have processed the refund". I asked for a file reference- not possible. I was then advised that my file reference was my booking reference.Fine, thank you for your help.
Last night I got an email from AZ trying to sell me an upgrade on the LHR-LIN section of my 'cancelled' flight on the 5th.
So I then eventually found the 'manage my booking' section on the AZ web site- not actually that easy.
My booking, now, cannot be found.
I suppose that is a good thing.
We were flying AZ as we have status with a related airline, for the SCs, miles and extra baggage.
Sigh.