Alitalia Pilots Stage Work-To-Rule Protest
09-01-2007, 02:50 PM
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Alitalia Pilots Stage Work-To-Rule Protest
ROME (AFP) - A total of 18 medium-haul flights by troubled Italian airline Alitalia out of Milan's Malpensa airport were cancelled Saturday as pilots staged a work-to-rule protest.
ANSA news agency said the protest was against plans to cut some loss-making flights to Asia and route others out of Rome instead of Milan in an effort to improve Alitalia's disastrous financial situation.
Corriere della Sera daily said the pilots were obeying to the letter instructions requiring an inspection of their aircraft at the slightest technical fault, causing lengthy delays in turnarounds.
The work-to-rule, which is not backed by the pilots' union, caused 83 flights to European destinations to be cancelled on Thursday and Friday.
State-controlled Alitalia outlined a new rescue strategy on Thursday that included plans for another capital increase and cutting an unspecified number of jobs.
The Italian government failed to privatise the company earlier this year because of a lack of bidders, and the latest measures are designed to make the company more attractive to potential buyers.
Alitalia lost 626 million euros last year and organised a capital increase less than two years ago, at the end of 2005, when it raised 1.0 billion euros.
The plan would also see the company cut back on flights to India and China and concentrate its activities in the capital Rome rather than the northern economic centre of Milan.
The company currently operates from hubs in both cities, which increases its operating costs.
Alitalia plans to restructure its activities at Milan's Malpensa airport by developing a low-cost service and consolidating its cargo operations.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070901...irlinealitalia
ANSA news agency said the protest was against plans to cut some loss-making flights to Asia and route others out of Rome instead of Milan in an effort to improve Alitalia's disastrous financial situation.
Corriere della Sera daily said the pilots were obeying to the letter instructions requiring an inspection of their aircraft at the slightest technical fault, causing lengthy delays in turnarounds.
The work-to-rule, which is not backed by the pilots' union, caused 83 flights to European destinations to be cancelled on Thursday and Friday.
State-controlled Alitalia outlined a new rescue strategy on Thursday that included plans for another capital increase and cutting an unspecified number of jobs.
The Italian government failed to privatise the company earlier this year because of a lack of bidders, and the latest measures are designed to make the company more attractive to potential buyers.
Alitalia lost 626 million euros last year and organised a capital increase less than two years ago, at the end of 2005, when it raised 1.0 billion euros.
The plan would also see the company cut back on flights to India and China and concentrate its activities in the capital Rome rather than the northern economic centre of Milan.
The company currently operates from hubs in both cities, which increases its operating costs.
Alitalia plans to restructure its activities at Milan's Malpensa airport by developing a low-cost service and consolidating its cargo operations.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070901...irlinealitalia
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