Italian flag-carrier Alitalia warned passengers Sunday that almost 400 of its flights would be canceled on Monday because of a strike by airline staff.        

The nationwide eight-hour strike that begins at 10:00 am local time would force the airline to cancel 182 national flights and 182 international and intercontinental ones, and change the schedules of another 64 flights.       

An estimated 18,000 passengers would be affected by the stoppage, airline sources said.

Unions have called the strike to protest against the company's restructuring plan, which includes a wage freeze and some 1,500 layoffs, mostly in Rome, with additional 13,000 jobs to be outsourced in the future.

On January 8, Italian air traffic controllers went on strike to protest against the plan, causing the cancellation of more than 300 flights.

Alitalia is restructuring in view of a future alliance with Air France and KLM. The French and Dutch airlines have already joined forces to create Europe's biggest airline.      

Alitalia and Air France entered an accord which brought the Italian carrier into the international Sky Team alliance in November 2002.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2004)