Rome, 16 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Italy's nationwide air traffic strike on Saturday resulted in nearly 1,000 flight cancellations, the news agency ANSA reported on Sunday.

According to the unions, which had called for the strike, nearly 100% of employees expected to strike participated in the action, the agency said.

The walkout affected airport ground staff, which are responsible, among other things, for handling and check-in services.

At Italy's major airports in Rome, Milan, Naples and Venice alone, several hundred flights were cancelled, affecting about 250,000 passengers.

The consumer protection association Codacons believes that damages due to cancellations and delays were in the millions, ANSA reported further.

In addition to ground staff, pilots of Malta Air, who handle Ryanair flights in Italy, and pilots and flight attendants of budget airline Vueling also went on strike.

This was the second major walkout in Italy, following a rail strike on Thursday that caused significant problems for public transport.

The strikes are hitting the country, a popular holiday destination, in the middle of the peak travel season and during a heat wave with high temperatures.

Photo: MIA archive