Alitalia may run out of fuel...?!

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Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 2,343

Not good news for Italy's beleaguered flag carrier: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24455942

Original post

Member for

11 years 8 months

Posts: 569

I can't say I'm surprised, I do believe Alitalia's days are now numbered and there is a real possibility Italy could be left without a flag carrier. Alitalia has an A320 series fleet similar in size to that of British Airways, yet no major long-haul connections market to justify a short haul network so vast. The result? A short-haul network that can't compete with easyJet and Ryanair...
There are two possible long term options for investors, invest a lot more cash into the business and enhance it's long haul network through the acquisition of new aircraft and routes to North America, Africa and the Middle East.
Or, they can cut back heavily - closing all but the FCO hub and focusing all their efforts at a single airport (like many other European full service carriers). Strategically repositioning long-haul aircraft, reducing the A320 fleet and remarketing itself as a lower cost airline, through reduced fares, to drive load factors.

I'd be very surprised if AF-KLM decided to take a larger stake in Alitalia, they have enough of their own problems without taking on another failing airline on to their books.

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

Can't say I'm surprised either. I flew Alitalia in 2010, and found it then to look as if it was on its last legs.