500 flights scrapped in Italy by 4-hour aviation strikes

ROME (AP) — Several hundred flights were canceled in Italy on a peak vacation travel day because of a four-hour strikes involving low-cost airlines and air traffic controllers. A union official said about 500 flights were scrapped Sunday when pilots, cabin and ground crew walked off the job to press for better pay and working conditions. Most of the Sunday afternoon walkout overlapped a strike by the controllers. Among flights canceled were those of Ryanair, easyJet and Volotea. Compared to airports in other Western European countries, Italy’s airports have experienced less chaos this summer. That’s because when the COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed travel, many airline and airport workers in Italy received government benefits while not working instead of being fired.