ROME--It has been a difficult day for airports around Rome and Italy as Alitalia flight attendants and pilots called a 24-hour strike on Thursday. The unions who called the strike are “Anpac”, “Anpav” and “Usb”. The airline has cancelled 60 per cent of its flights today in response to the strike action, both domestic and international.

 Alitalia have also set in motion a special plan to ensure that 90 per cent of passengers involved will be compensated. Easy Jet have also stated that they will take steps to see to it that the impact on passengers is minimal.

 In addition to Alitalia’s 24 hour strike, the unions for ground staff and foreign companies will join the strike between 14:00 and 18:00.

 So far Fiumicino Rome airport has seen no cancellations and Linate has cancelled three flights, so far.

 Yesterday the unions abandoned meetings with Alitalia to resolve the strike. The Minister for Development Carlo Calenda has stated the “situation is extremely delicate” and that he hopes for the company to avoid “unilateral initiatives” in order to return to “working in a way that is more harmonious between union and company, especially when it comes to conflict resolution.”

 The two sides will meet again on Friday to discuss a new resolution to the strike.