Originally Posted by
rove312
Since I don't see a topic here, I'll post that a general strike for Italy is planned for Friday, Nov. 10. Can anyone say with certainty that (if the strike isn't called off) flights on non-Italian airlines out of Italy are affected? I have friends who heard about it and paid a lot to change their BA flight VCE-LHR to the previous day, since they then had a separately booked trip to the U.S. It's a settled matter for them, but I'm curious about this.
It will affect all airlines, coming and going. The specific effects of a general strike vary by region, but in this one air traffic controllers are joining the strike for 24 hours. Each region has a different reason for joining the strike. Some say that it is because the government is allowing same agencies to be privatized. Other regions are joining because they feel that new technologies are causing people to lose their job. Each area has their own reason for joining the strike, and depending on the unions joining it, different services will be down. But then there are usually some things that all of them agree with, and everyone will strike. In this one, trains and buses will be closed most of the time. In Venice you can get to the airport, but with air traffic controllers off the job, both taking off or landing will be affected, so airlines will be down. Without trains, buses and air traffic controllers, a lot of Italy will be down. Your friends did the right thing. No flying in Italy on the 10th.