An airport control tower fire and widespread strikes have thrown Italy's aviation sector into chaos. To add to the disruption, all air traffic at Ciampino Airport in Rome has been suspended after a fire broke out there this morning.
Ciampino Airport - the second largest in the Italian capital - has had to suspend all flights after a small and already extinguished fire just broke out inside the tower of ENAV, the Italian Air navigation service provider, Euronews reported. Major airports in Italy already began cancelling flights on Tuesday in preparation for a nationwide day of strikes, with union workers walking out for 24 hours as part of a long running dispute.
Some trains and public transport in Milan and the rest of the Lombardy region have also been impacted by strikes.
Key responsibilities of handling staff include baggage services, boarding assistance, aircraft loading and unloading. Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, Naples, Catania, and Venice have had to cancel flights due to the nationwide strike.
More flights could be cancelled during the day, and ITA Airways have advised passengers to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport. Flights out of the country to the likes of Madrid and Paris have already been cancelled today. Handlers are a vital component of a machine with a number of moving parts, so when staff from any part of that machine walkout, services are likely to be affected by delays and cancellations.
