Alitalia protesters block Rome-Fiumicino highway

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 24 - Alitalia workers protesting major job cuts as the Italian flag carrier morphs into the slimmed-down ITA next month on Friday blocked the highway from Rome to Fiumicino Airport.
    Police tried to re-route the march, which was composed of several hundred people.
    Police sources denied using force to try and stop the marchers.
    They said officers had not baton-charged the demonstrators.
    Several thousand jobs are set to be lost in Alitalia's new incarnation ITA, which stands for Italia Trasporto Aereo and is scheduled to start operations in mid-October.
    Pilot and air crew pay is set to be almost halved.
    Management and unions for the new State-owned ITA are at loggerheads over the job cuts.
    ITA will start operations in mid-October with 2,800 employees handling the aviation activities, a number that will go up to a maximum of 5,750 by the end of its current business plan in 2025, the company has told trade unions.
    ITA expects to be fully operational from October 15.
    ITA will start out with a fleet of 52 aircraft, which will go up to 78 in 2022 with the arrival of new-generation aeroplanes, according to the new company's industrial plan.
    The fleet will further increase to 105 aircraft by the end of 2025, including 81 new generation aeroplanes (77% of the fleet) to reduce the airline's environmental impact and boost efficiency.
    The company will also introduce a new labour contract aimed at giving it greater flexibility and competitiveness.
    It aims to break even by the third quarter of 2023. (ANSA).