Alitalia struggles to return thousands of bags after go-slow

Chaos follows airport baggage handlers' agitation over job cuts

(ANSA) - Rome, August 7 - Alitalia was struggling to return thousands of suitcases to passengers Thursday after a wildcat go-slow by baggage handlers' trade union members against planned job cuts plunged the national carrier's luggage service into chaos.

As many as 6,000 suitcases and bags were being returned to their owners from Wednesday including 4,000 aboard lorries delivering them to passengers around Italy and elsewhere in Europe, Alitalia sources said. A special task force of 200 people has been assigned by the Rome Airports Authority to help clear the backlog of luggage and parcels that passengers were unable to collect, or which were not loaded on relevant flights, because of the industrial agitation.

Thousands of parcels and bags were still awaiting collection in front of hangers as well as in the main baggage distribution halls. Other airlines have offered to help deal with the backlog by delivering luggage to other European countries when they have space in their holds. Meanwhile ground service problems continued to cause delays in Alitalia departures with more than 20 flights for Paris, Nice, Podgorica, Belgrade and Reggio Calabria leaving from 25 minutes to an hour late on Thursday morning. The president of Italy's strike guarantee authority, Roberto Alesse, wrote to Alitalia management Thursday saying that everything possible was being done to identify those responsible for the go-slow.

In Italy, disciplinary proceedings can be brought against public service workers who fail to warn of an imminent strike. Unions are concerned at the prospect of losing several hundred jobs under terms of a deal being finalised with Etihad Airways to re-capitalise beleaguered Alitalia.