On Saturday, a strike by airport staff in Italy caused significant disruptions, grounding hundreds of flights and affecting approximately 250,000 travelers in one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

According to reports, both domestic and international flights, totaling around 1,000, were cancelled due to the strike initiated by ground crew members.

It was reported that “the staff are demanding a new collective contract, which comes six years after the expiration of the previous agreement.”

The strike was scheduled to take place from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (0800 to 1600 GMT) on Saturday.

Authorities stated that Rome’s airport experienced the highest number of flight cancellations, with approximately 200 flights affected.

The walkout also extended its impact to Malta Air, which handles transfers for popular budget carriers such as Ryanair, Vueling, and Ita Airways, as pilots also joined the strike.

Milan’s airports saw around 150 flight cancellations, while dozens of others were grounded in Turin and Palermo.

In response to the situation, Transport Minister Matteo Salvini urged the strikers to exercise “common sense” and consider the potential harm caused to millions of other workers and tourists.