Alitalia continues to operate … for now.

Back to Forum
Viewing 6 posts - 196 through 201 (of 201 total)

  • LuganoPirate
    Participant

    A great airline destroyed by corruption, politicians and the unions.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    cwoodward
    Participant

    The paywall is difficult to breach

    Below article from FT

    ‘Italy’s government breached EU state-aid rules when it gave €900m in rescue loans to Alitalia in 2017, according to a verdict set to be announced by Brussels.

    The decision by EU competition authorities, which two people with direct knowledge of the matter said was set to be made public on Thursday, though that timing may slip, comes after a three-year investigation into whether bridge loans to Alitalia illegally distorted competition in the bloc.

    EU law prohibits a member state from granting a company financial support that gives it an advantage over its rivals. The current Italian government, which was not in office when the loans were made, declined to comment.

    The decision spells the latest ignominious chapter for Alitalia, Italy’s perennially lossmaking flag carrier for 75 years. The Rome government has already been working with Margrethe Vestager, the EU competition chief, on a deal to allow a new airline to be created that will be independent of Alitalia.

    Brussels will confirm the details of the new airline, known as Italia Transporto Aereo (ITA), which will start flying next month.

    ITA will be economically independent and will not be liable for any illegal state aid received by Alitalia in recent years, people with direct knowledge of the plans said.

    The new carrier will be able to buy part of Alitalia’s fleet and a reduced number of landing slots as part of the deal stuck between Italy and Brussels to allow the new company to operate, these people added. ITA will also be able to bid for the right to trade under the name Alitalia.

    Alitalia has faced financial difficulties for decades and has not posted an annual net profit since the start of the millennium. Rome took full control of the airline during the Covid-19 pandemic, when aviation was hit by strict curbs on travel to control the spread of the virus. 

    Other European governments also put funds into national carriers during the pandemic. Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, compared Germany’s Lufthansa to a “crack cocaine junkie”.

    Brussels is still to rule on a separate €400m government loan given to Alitalia to help it streamline its operations as it tried to sell assets in 2019. Opening that inquiry last year, the commission raised “serious doubts” about whether the aid was in line with state-aid rules.

    This year Mario Draghi, Italy’s prime minister, joked that he considered Alitalia “a family thing, a little expensive”, referring to its emotional connection with Italians as well as its sizeable losses.

    Draghi’s new unity government has embarked on a vastly ambitious programme of national reform to relaunch Italy’s stagnant domestic economy, including sweeping changes to the country’s legal system and bureaucracy.

    The new version of the airline, he said, had to “be supported by its own wings, without subsidies”.


    transtraxman
    Participant

    Is this the last article about Alitalia?
    “Alitalia: a last flight before the doors close definitively”, (Aviation24.be 14-10-21)

    Alitalia: a last flight before the doors close definitively

    Acording to this article there is no buyer for the Alitalia brand.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    I never knew this.

    In Venice, outside a former travel agent, there’s an Alitalia mosaique.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Alex: So its longer going to be consigned to history. not yet anyway.
    The airline lives on and I predict that little will change or I suspect improve.
    It seems just a costly rearrangement of the chairs !

    5 users thanked author for this post.
Viewing 6 posts - 196 through 201 (of 201 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls