The post-Alitalia era has begun. At 7.35 this morning the first flight of Italy Airways, the company born from the ashes of the former flag carrier. The Milan-Bari section was chosen for the maiden voyage.
But what has changed compared to before? Brussels was calling for a radical transformation to give the go-ahead to the operation: in the event of business continuity, in fact, Italy would violate the Community rules on state aid.
In fact, however, in addition to the name of the company only seems to have changed the color of the planes, which from white have become blue, with a tricolor band on the tail. According to the passengers of the first voyage, the flight attendants they still wear Alitalia uniforms.
Moreover, just yesterday, at the conclusion of the public offer procedure, Ita was awarded the Alitalia Spa brand and the www.Alitalia.com domain for 90 million euros.
"From today the name of the company is this: Ita Airways - said the CEO of the company, Fabio Lazzerini, during the press conference for the take-off of the NewCo – It's a name that looks ahead, looks to the future”, even if “we wanted to keep the colours: green and red are the same as Alitalia's, and yesterday's purchase of the brand reflects this logic: do not waste a value”.
As for the prospects for the future, the president Alfredo Altavilla specified that "Ita was not born to be a stand alone operator forever. That would be an unrealistic goal, a futile desire for greatness. Ita was created to become an important and strategic element within one of the major networks in the sector”.
But who, then, will be Ita's future partner? Lufthansa, Air France-KLM or Delta? “I am absolutely agnostic – Altavilla replied – I look in any direction, wherever there is the opportunity to create value for Ita. We will start working on a process from next week: we believe it is important to close it by 2022".
As for the situation of the workers, “I regret not having arrived at the departure of Ita Airways with a deal Done" with the unions on the contract, continued the Chairman of the company, "but I am absolutely confident that the important steps forward made in recent days will allow us to sit down again soon at the table for the redefinition of the agreement".
Finally, a financial proposal: “We have to demonstrate to the Italian taxpayer that this time we will be careful with the use we make of their capital – concluded Altavilla – This is the obligation that we feel clear in our heads. This must be the real change of mentality”.
