Alitalia (Societa Aerea Italiana) (3rd) (Rome) has a new growing relationship with partner Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). This expanding partnership with the Gulf carrier has made the older Air France-KLM (Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines) (Paris and Amsterdam) relationship less important. As a result, Alitalia has decided to withdraw from the Air France-KLM partnership at the end of 2016. Will it also leave SkyTeam? The Italian airline issued this statement:
Alitalia SAI has announced that it will not renew its partnership agreement and ancillary joint ventures agreements with Air France-KLM when they come up for renewal in 2017.
The agreements govern passenger services operated by the three carriers between Italy and France (and beyond), and between Italy and the Netherlands (and beyond), as well as the marketing, sales and distribution of Alitalia Cargo belly services undertaken by Air France-KLM.
The original agreements were concluded with Alitalia CAI (Compagnie Aerea Italiana) in 2009 and 2010 under very different economic circumstances, and were subsequently transferred to Alitalia SAI in January 2015.
Silvano Cassano, CEO of Alitalia, said: “These agreements are no longer beneficial, either commercially or strategically, to the new Alitalia and its ambitious turnaround plan. They were negotiated when Alitalia was in a very different position, with the result that the agreements in their current forms favor the other party.
“They are undermining our ability to restructure our network and the airline effectively to achieve the long term sustainability of our business.
“The new Alitalia is in a new position. Our business needs agreements which deliver equitable value to each party.
“For Italy and for Alitalia, our first priority is to win back the inbound tourism market, while better serving Italian leisure and business travellers.
“In our plans we also want to deliver up-to-date cargo solutions to the Italian manufacturing industry, the second largest in Europe, which has growing needs to export goods worldwide.
“We have indicated to Air France-KLM that we are willing to discuss more equitable arrangements that benefit all the parties involved, but thus far we have been unable to achieve this result.
“We remain open to further discussions to achieve a mutually acceptable solution. However in the interest of transparency and certainty for all parties, we felt it necessary to announce our intention not to renew these agreements under the present conditions.”
Alitalia (1st, 2nd and 3rd) aircraft slide show:
Copyright Photo below: AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A321-112 EI-IXJ (msn 959) taxies at London (Heathrow).
Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) has issued this statement about airport operations at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO). Terminal 3 of Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino was struck by a fire which upset airport operations. Here is the statement:
Due to the fact that Terminal 3 has been condemned for airport operations, Alitalia informs that the check-in operations for all domestic, international and intercontinental flights of the Company will be carried out at Terminal 1.
Alitalia has also set up two task forces, composed of about 100 people from operating and commercial areas, including managers, in order to simplify service and to give information to passengers departing or transiting at Rome Fiumicino airport.
Previously Alitalia restarted operations at yesterday at 2 pm (1400).
Today the airport issued this statement:
FIUMICINO TERMINAL 3 REOPENED
After yesterday’s fire, the Terminal is gradually being reopened by Aeroporti di Roma teams, each staffed with 300 technicians, cleaning and maintenance personnel who worked all through the night to restore operations at the Terminal 3 from early this morning.
All this has been possible because the event affected only the commercial area, beyond security check counters.
Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) has announced new intercontinental nonstop service from Milano (Malpensa) to Shanghai (Pudong), which marks the return of the airline in China and a further stage in the development of Malpensa airport’s intercontinental connections.
The flight, launched with the inauguration of Expo Milano 2015, represents another major investment of Alitalia in Milan, following the introduction of the nonstop flight to Abu Dhabi on March 29.
In addition to the new flights to Shanghai and the daily flights to Abu Dhabi, Alitalia has also strengthened its connections on the Milan – Tokyo route, which are now daily as daily are the flights to New York’s JFK airport.
Alitalia has become the leading airline out of Malpensa in number of intercontinental destinations and, over the next three years, Alitalia aims to increase by 130% the number of passengers on intercontinental flights departing or arriving at Milan Malpensa Airport.
Copyright Photo: Jacques Guillem Collection/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-202 EI-EJM (msn 1308) in the special promotional “Expo Milano 2015” livery taxies at the Milan (Malpensa) hub.
Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) has issued this announcement on new Venice-Abu Dhabi service in connection with Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) :
Venice – Abu Dhabi is set to be the first new route opened by the new Alitalia since the January 1, 2015 launch of operations, after Etihad Airways acquired a 49% stake in the company.
The daily connection was presented to business leaders, media and other institutions in Venice today by Alitalia’s Chairman Luca di Montezemolo and CEO Silvano Cassano, together with Enrico Marchi, Chairman of the SAVE Group – Venice Airport, and Peter Baumgartner, Chief Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, the strategic equity and codeshare partner of Alitalia, which has added its ‘EY’ code to the service.
Alitalia will reinforce its presence in Italy’s North Eastern airports with the new route, reaching a total of 89 weekly connections from Venice (64) and Verona (25). From Venice alone, Alitalia will offer approximately 600,000 seats on direct flights during the summer season for air transportation (March-October), including those on partner airlines, to Rome, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Paris, Amsterdam, Moscow and Tirana.
The new connections with Abu Dhabi will strengthen Alitalia’s intercontinental offering, allowing passengers departing from North Eastern Italy to reach not just the United Arab Emirates, but continue, thanks to Etihad Airways’ extensive global connections, to 30 destinations in the Middle East (Bahrain, Muscat, Kuwait, Dubai and Al Ain), Africa (Johannesburg, Nairobi and Khartoum), the Indian Subcontinent (Mumbai, Kochi, Delhi, Bangalore, Karachi, Lahore, Dacca, Malè, Seychelles and Colombo), Asia (Beijing, Seoul, Phuket, Chengdu, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta) and Australia (Melbourne, Sydney and Perth).
The Venice-Abu Dhabi flight will take off on March 29, 2015. Simultaneously, Alitalia will also launch a new flight from Milan Malpensa Airport to the capital of the United Arab Emirates, tripling the number of its flights for Abu Dhabi, which will reach a total of 42 weekly flights.
From Venice’s Marco Polo airport, the first Alitalia flight for Abu Dhabi will take off this Sunday, March 29, at 9:55 pm, landing in Abu Dhabi at 5:55 am (local time) on the following day.
Flights from Abu Dhabi to Venice will depart at 9:05 am (local time) to arrive at the Marco Polo Airport at 1:35 pm. The service will be operated using a 250-seat Airbus A330 aircraft, arranged in three service classes: Magnifica (business class), Classica Plus (premium economy) and Classica (economy).
Copyright Photo: Fred Freketic/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-202 EI-EJM (msn 1308) in the promotional Expo Milano 2015 special livery approaches the runway at JFK International Airport in New York.
Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) today (March 20) is dealing with a strike by the Air Traffic Control Agency (ENAV) in Italy. The strike is being implemented by the air traffic controllers union between 10.00 to 18.00 local time in Rome. Alitalia, like other carriers, implemented a reduction in flights in order to limit the inconvenience to its customers.
According to the carrier, the strike is not impacting Alitalia’s intercontinental flights from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa (above).
According to the airline, “Alitalia is contacting passengers involved in the rescheduling and cancellation of flights affected by the strike in order to provide alternative travel solutions and instructions for the refund of unused tickets.”
Copyright Photo: Jacques Guillem Collection/AirlinersGallery.com. The former Air One Airbus A330-302 EI-DIR (msn 272), now in the SkyTeam motif, taxies to the gate at the Milan (Malpensa) hub.
Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) today issued new strategy with its new partner Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). The new strategy will also include a new brand and livery for 2015.
The company issued this statement:
The strategy for the new Alitalia was unveiled today, with an unequivocal commitment by the new executive team and strategic investors to reinvent the airline.
Alitalia will introduce new routes, new product and service standards, a new cost management strategy and new branding, as the foundations to build a premium global airline representing the best of Italy.
The new Alitalia commenced operations on January 1, 2015, following the completion of equity investments by Etihad Airways and Alitalia’s existing shareholders. The new company’s Board meeting yesterday ratified the business strategy, which was outlined today by Luca di Montezemolo, Chairman of Alitalia, Silvano Cassano, Chief Executive Officer of Alitalia, and James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group and Vice Chairman of Alitalia.
Luca di Montezemolo said: “The energies, passion and expertise I have experienced at Alitalia in recent weeks do not leave any doubt that the airline we’re unveiling today will become once again a premium Italian airline recognised worldwide. This is why I believe the people in Alitalia are a pillar of the history we’re about to write.
“Our priority is to put the customer at the centre of everything we do. And to do that, we will change many things, starting with the way we work. We need to work as one united team to achieve this great common goal.
“The revitalized Alitalia we envision and have started building, will be an asset to this country, and a driver to support the growth of our tourism and our business.”
James Hogan said Alitalia’s future will rely on major change throughout the organization.
“In a market still beset by the continuing Eurozone crisis, anything other than rapid, decisive change is simply not an option.
“This is the right strategy, with the right management team to lead it.
“But there should be no doubts at all: we have made a commercial investment that must deliver a commercial return.
“We’ve invested in the new Alitalia because we believe it can flourish again. It will only succeed if there is 100 per cent support from everyone. The coming months and next few years will not be easy, but if everyone pulls together as one team, Alitalia can grow again.”
Mr Hogan said that Alitalia’s major investors had set a clear deadline for the airline to deliver profitability by 2017.
Outlining the airline’s new strategy, Silvano Cassano said: “The new Alitalia strategy is serious, it is exciting and it is commercial. It is a strategy for success – if everybody delivers.
“It is serious because it has been developed over months by an executive team and a set of partners that share extensive and in-depth industry expertise.
“It is exciting because of the vision and ambition that we have for the brand and for the business. This is the chance to create a new Alitalia, one which Italy can truly feel proud of.
“And it is commercial because that is the only way this can work. Every single employee at Alitalia has to get into a commercial mindset, one in which the basis of every decision is: Does this add value to our customer? Does it add value to our company? And does it help us to deliver a financial return?
“We need to create a performance-based, customer-focused culture which results in a sustainably profitable airline, one which can grow over the long term.
“The investment we have received from our shareholders gives us the opportunity to do that.”
Mr Cassano added: “A successful Alitalia means jobs, it means trade and it means tourism. It means a major impact on the Italian economy.”
The key elements of the new business strategy include:
Network
A new three-hub strategy in Italy. Milan Malpensa will increase long-haul services, while Milan Linate will increase connectivity with partner airline hubs. Rome Fiumicino will grow long-haul flying and continue to expand short and medium haul flying to maintain relevance to the Italian market.
Schedules across the network will be optimized to allow better connectivity, as well as increased codesharing with existing and new partners.
New routes from Rome include Berlin, Dusseldorf, San Francisco, Mexico City, Santiago (Chile), Beijing and Seoul, with increased flights to New York, Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Abu Dhabi.
Alitalia will also add 13 weekly flights from Milan Malpensa, with daily services to Abu Dhabi, four flights a week to Shanghai, and additional flights to Tokyo.
There will also be increased connectivity with Etihad Airways’ hub in Abu Dhabi, with daily services from Venice, Milan, Bologna and Catania, as well as additional flights from Rome, all allowing onward connections to the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China and Australia.
Venice will be the only Italian airport, in addition to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, from which Alitalia will operate services to Abu Dhabi with long-haul aircraft.
Cooperation
While exploring further opportunities to deepen the relationships with Skyteam members and in particular Air France/KLM and Delta, there will be a major new partnership with Airberlin and Niki, as well as increased connectivity with Etihad Airways. There are also plans to work more deeply with Air Serbia and Etihad Regional. These partnerships will increase customer choice across many markets.
Fleet
Alitalia and Etihad Airways and its partners are exploring opportunities to improve jointly fleet efficiency. For example, Alitalia is in the process of relocating 14 Airbus A320s to Airberlin, and looking into options with Etihad Airways to acquire additional wide-body aircraft for Alitalia. Alitalia will also have opportunities to receive aircraft from Etihad Airways’ existing fleet orderbook.
Guest Services
A new customer-first culture, with new product and service standards across the airline. A new Customer Excellence Training Academy will deliver skills to all customer-facing staff, while customers will experience traditional Italian hospitality, new food service options, new-look lounges in Rome, Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate.
Brand
Alitalia will launch a new brand and visual identity, covering aircraft, uniforms and all other customer touch-points. While the name will remain unchanged, the new branding will seek to capture and embody the essence of Italy.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. The updated version (in 2006) of the basic 1969 livery will soon be history as Alitalia replaces it with a new Italian theme and look. Alitalia is also going to receive new aircraft types for its long-range routes from partner Etihad Airways. Boeing 777-243 ER EI-ISD (msn 32860) arrives in Los Angeles.
Alitalia aircraft slide show:
Video: Join Luca di Montezemolo, Chairman of Alitalia, Silvano Cassano, Chief Executive Officer of Alitalia, and James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group and Vice Chairman of Alitalia, as they outlining the strategy for a new Alitalia.
Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) will introduce the Milan (Linate) – Copenhagen route on March 30. The new route will initially operate three days a week with Airbus A320 aircraft according to Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Bernardo Andrade/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 EI-IKU (msn 1217) climbs away from the runway at Barcelona.
Airberlin (airberlin.com) (Berlin) is continuing to optimize its route network with the expansion of its services to the important focus market of Italy at the beginning of the summer schedule. Starting March 29, 2015, Airberlin will operate a new daily service from Stuttgart to Rome as well as three flights a day from Stuttgart to Milan (Linate) starting in May 2015. In addition, starting in May Airberlin will expand its service on the Stuttgart to Venice route to include three new daily flights.
The number of flights from Dusseldorf to Rome is also being increased: starting March 29, Airberlin will offer six new flights from Monday to Friday as well as two flights on Sundays. Several improvements to the departure times of existing services complete the optimization of the flight program from Germany to Italy. With up to ten additional flights per week compared to last year, Airberlin will operate a total of 260 flights a week from Germany, Austria and Switzerland to Italy during summer 2015.
The new flights will be integrated in the codeshare agreement with Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) and will carry Alitalia flight numbers. All of Airberlin’s and Alitalia’s direct flights between Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been operated as codeshare flights since the start of the 2014/2015 winter schedule.
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 D-ABFC (msn 4161) lands at EuroAirport serving the Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg area.
Alitalia (3rd) (Societa Aerea Italiana) (Rome) officially took off yesterday (January 1). Alitalia (2nd) (Compagnie Aerea Italiana) officially was retired at the end of business on December 31, 2014. Alitalia issued this statement:
The first flight of the “new Alitalia” took off on January 1 from New York JFK at 01:35 (“zulu time”, corresponding to 02:35 Italian local time) and landed in Milan Malpensa at 10.40. The flight was operated by an Airbus A330 aircraft in the Expo Milano 2015 livery branded Alitalia and Etihad Airways, Official Global Carriers of the most important Italian event of the year. The event will host more than 20 million visitors in Milan between May and October 2015.
So begins the new Alitalia, a new airline with a majority Italian ownership and 49% owned by Etihad Airways.
Capitan Angelo Pracchi, assisted by First Officer Claudio Bencardino, and by Luca Baldo, Head of on board services, shared the news of the Company’s first flight with the guests on board, who received a Magnifica class amenity kit by designer Salvatore Ferragmo to celebrate the event.
As of January 1, 2015, Alitalia and Etihad Airways serve 168 destinations with a fleet of 227 of the most advanced aircraft in the world. Combined, the two carriers transport more than 35 million passengers a year. The agreement with Etihad Airways provides a greater number of convenient connections through Abu Dhabi’s hub and will allow the development of a whole new network of flights to Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia, specifically designed for the leisure and business travelers.
Etihad Airways has completed its investment and acquires 49 percent equity stake in the new Alitalia. The new company (Alitalia 3rd) to be fully operational with effect from January 1, 2015:
Alitalia and Etihad Airways on December 23 announced the completion of all the formalities related to the transfer of air transport operations from Alitalia CAI to the new Alitalia SAI.
Etihad Airways has subscribed and paid for the capital increase of euro 387.5 million for the acquisition of a 49 percent share in Alitalia SAI. The remaining 51 per cent shareholding is held by Alitalia CAI through MidCo, which has contributed the agreed assets and liabilities for the continuation of the airline.
The transaction will become effective on December 31, 2014 and Alitalia SAI – Società Aerea Italiana will commence operations on January 1, 2015.
Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Former Air One Airbus A330-202 EI-DIP (msn 339) arrives in Toronto (Pearson).
