Italian pilots stage 'safety' strike

Thousands of passengers are being hit

Italian air passengers are facing a day of disruption as pilots from national carrier Alitalia walk out on strike.

Dozens of services are being cancelled and rescheduled, hitting an estimated 14,000 passengers.

The pilots and flight assistants were walking out for four hours at noon (1100GMT) on Tuesday.

They are protesting against having to work shifts up to 17 hours long.

Pilot fatigue

The pilots' union, Anpac, is demanding shifts of no longer than 12 hours, which it says is normal in many other countries.

The staff say their case has been strengthened by recent research in US, which showed that 20% of air accidents were due to pilot fatigue.

The employers have offered only a one-hour cut, to 16 hours.

Alitalia says half its 253 scheduled flights are being cancelled and more than 150 others are being moved to outside the strike hours.

Cabin pressure

National legislation in Italy permits pilots to work up to 17 hours a day on short-haul flights, but that legislation applies only to pilots.

Erica Young of the Italian Federation of Transport Workers told the BBC's World Business Report that she could fly for over 24 hours without stopping.

"Anybody who has been in a cabin for 15 hours with reduced oxygen levels will not be at their best with regards to reaction time," she said.

"Safety of passengers, which is why we are on board, is paramount," she added.

Europe-wide campaign

The cancellations include 54 international flights, although long-haul services are not expected to be hit.

Italian air travellers have faced repeated disruption over the past year - by a series of disputes involving pilots, ground workers and air traffic controllers.

The Italian action comes as airline pilots across Europe campaign against proposals which they say could mean them working 14 hour shifts.

A total of 17 European pilots' organisations, representing 31,000 pilots, are joining the protest.

They say that proposals from the European Parliament could lead to pilots flying for as long as 14 hours a day, on top of six hours of preparation time.