The world’s newest airline is a week away from launch, and it’s promising to bring some sweet Life back to heaven.
From 15 October, ITA – Italia Tresporto Aereo – will be Italy’s new state-owned airline, following the bankruptcy order of Alitalia on 14 October.
Bankruptcy is no surprise. Alitalia has suffered for years, and recently, there has been debate as to whether ITA was a separate company good enough to take control and, at the same time, get rid of Alitalia’s debt.
But in September, the European Union decided that ITA and Alitalia were separate companies, which meant that ITA could start from scratch.
Information is sparse, but here’s what we know so far.
Who is the owner of ITA?
According to its registration with the US Department of Transportation, Italia Tresporto Aereo is “wholly owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Italy”. He says it aims to create “an efficient, innovative and competitive airline”.
where are you going to fly
It was assumed that ITA would occupy most, if not all, of Alitalia’s slots. Alitalia served 94 destinations, 26 of which are in Italy.
However, starting with your website, ITA will roll out gradually. The sale routes for Tatkal Yatra are as follows.
- Italy: Brindisi, Bolonha, Bari, Catania, Rome, Gonova, Milao Linate, Napoles, Palermo, Pescara, Reggio Calabria, Lamezia Terme, Trieste, Turin, Venice, Verona.
- short and medium distance: Algiers, Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Brussels, Cairo, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, London Heathrow, Madrid, Malta, Munich, Nice, Paris (Charles de Gaulle and Orly), Tirana, Tel Aviv, Tunis, Zurich.
- long distance: Tokyo, New York.
- There are more options. Buenos Aires, Miami, Boston and So Paulo will be connected with Luxembourg, Stuttgart and Florence from March 2022. More European destinations are planned for the summer of 2022, with Los Angeles.
On October 5, the airline opened flight sales to the US to great fanfare. Alitalia flew from Rome to Chicago along all routes of her choosing. ITA requested to add flights to Chicago, Francisco, San Francisco and Washington DC in the future.
The fact that ITA issued a press release regarding its flights to the United States indicates that the company can focus on the long-haul business. This would come as a relief to some who worried that Alitalia’s domestic attention was the key to its downfall.
Will the plane be from Alitalia?
not permanently. One of the few decisions ITA has announced is to make the fleet exclusively from Airbus.
The airline has announced that it will be buying 28 new aircraft and leasing 45 more – it is, it says, more favorable than Alitalia.
The first new jets will enter the fleet in early 2022 and by the end of 2025, ITA informed that 70% of the fleet will be new generation aircraft, which will be less harmful to the environment.
The company plans to start at 52 and grow to 105 by 2025.
However, this is still a long-term plan.
In its DOT document, ITA wrote that before taking to the skies on October 15, it “must have acquired certain assets (such as aircraft) from Alitalia.” So things should be very similar at first.
Ita last name?
Not necessary.
In the same process, ITA informed that it would “participate in a tender to acquire the Alitalia brand”. No one knows when this will happen.
Will she continue Alitalia’s loyalty program?
No – the EU did not allow it.
However, in a press release, ITA announced a “new loyalty program” that “could potentially be integrated with other industrial partners” and that it would be “fully based on customer needs for flexibility and access to flights.” focused”.
There is still no indication which alliance it will sign, if any.
Who will design the uniform?
That’s the question everyone wants to know, but ITA is keeping it a secret – a spokesperson declined to share details. CNN. Hopefully, though, they’re decent – after all this is Italy.
In 2018, despite bankruptcy, Alitalia delivered a new crew uniform designed by Alberta Ferretti. The ITA logo is definitely a very attractive one.
How are the rates?
competitor
The cost of a return flight from JFK to Rome in November on the dates we selected is $498. That compares to $505 on Delta.
Meanwhile, traveling from Milan to London costs $98 round-trip, compared to $120 for British Airways.
For those looking to travel to airports more distant than Heathrow, Ryanair charges only $22 for round-trip travel, and easyJet only $41. This short-haul competition will be the biggest challenge for ITA.
What is the protocol of Kovid-19?
ITA announced that all of its employees would be vaccinated long before Italy made vaccination mandatory for workers across the country.
Temperatures will be measured before the flight and passengers will have to wear masks. No clothes could be stored in the upper closet and people would be loaded in small groups.
Business class lounges are currently closed, but those eligible to enter will receive a coupon to use at airport food stores.
ITA claims that thanks to the HEPA filter, the air on board is sterile like an operating room and is renewed every three minutes.
Will the company survive?
That’s what everyone wants to know, and the short distance competition will be your biggest challenge.
But with a new fleet, new energy, new leadership and no debt, your chances are definitely better than Alitalia.
With only 16 Italian destinations and 22 starts, ITA is taking it one step at a time.
(This text is a translation. To read the original in English, click here)
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