After having seen its market shares decrease due to the expansion of competition on national skies, the Alitalia Cai board of directors launched the procedures for the integration of the airlines Blue Panorama and Windjet through the signing of two separate memoranda of understanding with the counterparties.
Through this integration Alitalia expects to increase the number of passengers carried by about 20%.i, adding to its 25 million the 4,8 of Blue Panorama and Windjet. Furthermore, from the two companies, Alitalia will inherit 24 aircraft (12 for each, 6 of them are wide body) which will be added to the 144 already available. This operation, among other things, will have the effect of reducing competition and, consequently, the possibility of choice for citizens.
No further details on the acquisitions were specified in the two press releases released by Alitalia. Therefore, it is not yet known what share of the two companies will be acquired and at what price and with what modalities (cash payment or, as appears probable, an increase in Alitalia's capital addressed to the shareholders of the two companies) it will be acquired.
Wind Jet, founded in 2003, is now the sixth largest airline by domestic market share (6,2% in 2011), with operational bases in Catania, Palermo and Rimini, and Blue Panorama's lower market share was not disclosed. The company, which has bases in Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, operates scheduled and charter services.
"The integration project - announced Alitalia - is consistent with the consolidation processes underway in the air transport sector, at national and international level" which "are aimed at strengthening the industrial dimension of the operators, increasing their competitiveness and developing their capacity ' to face and manage the variables of the macroeconomic framework”.
