Alitalia cabin crews strike

Cabin crews at Alitalia yesterday started a two-day strike over contracts, but Italy's flagship airline said operations were unaffected by the labour unrest.

Alitalia said it cancelled 28 flights yesterday, out of more than 800 flights, but said the cancellations were due to unspecified "technical-operational" reasons - not the strike by the SULT union.

SULT, which is locked in a bitter dispute with Alitalia management, said at least 30 flights had been cancelled as a result of the strike.

The union promises to continue the industrial unrest today.