The American company Delta says it is willing to invest 100 million euros in Alitalia, but does not meet the requests of FS and Atlantia. The two Italian partners are unable to reach an agreement with the US carrier on two points of the New Alitalia 2020-2023 business plan.
The first concerns the fleet. The current number of 118 aircraft (26 long-range and 92 medium-range) is no longer sustainable: the plan reduces it to 102 aircraft from 2020 (23 long-range and 79 medium), and then re-expands it to 109 in 2023 (25 and 84 ). Meanwhile, revenues are expected to rise from 3 billion in 106 to 2020 million at the end of the plan, mainly thanks to 2.800 redundancies and a (very optimistic) optimization of rest and summer holidays for those who fly. The opposition of pilots and stewardesses to job cuts is predictable and tough.
The second uncertain point of the plan concerns draws them. On long range the clash with Delta is taking place, which does not sell additional flights to the United States in order not to damage its ally Air France-KLM, of which it has 10% in its portfolio. The tug of war threatens to blow up the agreement. The plan, anticipated by Repubblica, aims to strengthen "strategic markets" such as South Korea, China, Brazil and Mexico and to reduce or cancel "unprofitable" connections such as Delhi, Havana, Malè, Santiago de Chile and Johannesburg. New flights to Shanghai, San Francisco (summer only) and Washington (all year round) are planned.
Sul medium range, on the other hand, an expansion towards Eastern Europe (Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Bucharest) and the connection to Linate of 16 of the 20 most important European cities are planned. In Italy, flights to and from Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria will be strengthened, while from 2022 Pisa, Florence and Naples will lose air connections to Rome, replaced by the "Frecce" of Ferrovie.
For Lufthansa, the German company is planning a decisive board meeting on Alitalia on Monday: if a competitive economic offer does not arrive, there will be no more doubts about the green light for Delta.
Meanwhile, the binding offers for Alitalia could be postponed for the eighth time: from 21 November to the end of the month.
