Readers who are planning a New Year getaway this January should bear in mind the risks of disruption to flights at seven UK airports. Strikes are scheduled at BAA airports on the 7th January 2008 and the 14th January 2008, each starting in the morning and lasting 24 hours. A third strike, on the 17th January 2008, is due to last 48 hours. The airports involved - Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow, Glasgow, Southampton, Aberdeen and Edinburgh - could be closed down totally during the strikes, and delays may continue for a day or two afterwards. This nightmare for travellers may yet be averted but the prospects aren't looking good, so try to avoid those dates, change your flights if necessary, and check the newspapers for the latest updates on the situation.
> BAA strikes still set for January (The Times, 28 December 2007)
In Italy, the latest provisional strike dates include 8th January when there is yet another Alitalia strike (4 hours). There is a 24-hour rail strike from 9pm on 12th January, and another from 9pm on 26th January. There is a general public transport strike on 28th January. Sometimes these scheduled strikes are cancelled, sometimes they are postponed, and sometimes there is a still a basic service (usually trains run a minimum guaranteed service). But we'd recommend you avoid travel plans for these dates if possible, and check for the latest news on transport websites.
> Italian Transport Ministry: scheduled strikes (in Italian).
