Video: Former Alitalia Flight Attendants Strip Off Uniforms in Flash Mob Protest

Former employees from Alitalia are having difficulty finding comparable jobs at other airlines, considering that the airline industry is heavily seniority-based. In response, union leaders have been pressing for the government to extend unemployment benefits to former employees for as long as five years.

Dozens of former Alitalia flight attendants took to the streets of Rome on Wednesday and stripped off their uniforms to protest their frustration over losing their jobs, and the significantly lower pay rates at ITA Airways — Italy’s new national airline that replaced Alitalia on October 15.

The all-female group of cabin crew began by taking off their overcoats to reveal their full Alitalia uniforms, before eventually stripping down to their camisoles.

Footage of the protest shows as the barefoot ex-flight attendants chanted “we are Alitalia” and held hands in the famous Campidoglio piazza in Rome.

Ieri vicino il #Campidoglio #Roma decine di #Hostess diciamo ex #Alitalia hanno inscenato una protesta contro i licenziamenti si parla di circa 8000 persone & contro i nuovi #contratti da tener presente che già vengono da 3 decurtazioni di stipendio del 30/40% Grazie #Draghi pic.twitter.com/9xzBYOAKXq

— 👊🏻Vincent👊🏻🆔 (@007Vincentxxx) October 21, 2021

On October 14, Alitalia ceased operations to Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA) after being in bankruptcy since 2017 and struggling for so many years. The company discontinued ticket sales on August 25.

Italy’s new national carrier is significantly smaller than Alitalia, and will initially have under 3,000 employees compared to Alitalia, which had around 10,000 employees. As a result, ITA took on a portion of former Alitalia flight attendants, leaving a vast majority of employees unemployed, according to a Washington Post report.

Those that will work for ITA are being hired at notably lower pay scales, according to union officials.