After the much-suffering "adieu" of Air France e Aeroflot's recent "niet"., comes the “maybe” of Ryanair. The Irish company would be ready to evaluate a possible request to enter the capital of Alitalia. The revelation comes directly from the CEO of the low cost carrier, Michael O'Leary.
“We reiterate our proposal to collaborate for the relaunch of the company – said the manager –, for example by cooperating in the feederage of Fiumicino, in the purchase of planes or fuel. The current state, the eventuality of participating in the capitalization is unlikely, because the procedure in the current phase is reserved for current shareholders and also because no one has asked us. However, all options are open: if we were asked, we would be ready to consider any request”. Also to help recapitalize Alitalia.
Last week, O'Leary had written and telephoned Alitalia to offer the so-called "feedering" of Ryanair's domestic flights for their services, in particular for long-haul routes. The Irish company would make its domestic flight network available to feed the former national carrier's long-haul flights. To facilitate the operation, the low-cost airline will open from 18 December a base in Rome's Fiumicino airport where, in 2014, all domestic Ryanair flights will be transferred. The other new bases in Italy will be Catania, Palermo and Lamezia.
O'Leary offered to carry Alitalia passengers at fares starting at 50 euros one way, requesting a meeting with the Italian company "to discuss any other opportunities there may be to collaborate and assist Alitalia in its current restructuring". However, the Irish carrier confirms its intention to further develop traffic on Rome-Ciampino, assuming "the shifting of current flights from Bari and Brindisi to Fiumicino next year and freeing up slots for other international flights".
On Alitalia the manager said that the restructuring "is possible as it has been done in other companies, but Alitalia has suffered from too much political interference, too many strikes and an inadequate fleet because it is too differentiated". According to Ryanair's CEO, it will be necessary to intervene “on leaky routes, on personnel and on the fleet”. O'Leary said that Ryanair "won't go international because it doesn't have carriers: all the planes have been booked for the next 4/5 years by Gulf airlines".
THE NO OF RAILWAYS
Meanwhile, CEO Mauro Moretti announced that at the moment Ferrovie dello Stato “has no interest in Alitalia. I hope that he will succeed in the turnaround that he is making and that he will be able to regain his solidity as he is an asset of the country ”.
