Re: Alitalia in "crisis"
Πρέπει να νιώθουμε τυχεροί πού δέν έχουμε φτάσει τα χάλια της Ιταλίας οπου παραπάνω απο τα μισά εσωτερικά δρομολόγια θά τα εκτελεί η Ryanair το επόμενο διάστημα. Δείτε το παρακάτω άρθρο. Εάν οι αερομεταφορές μας μείνουν σέ Ελληνικά χέρια, θά είμαστε και τυχεροί...
ROME, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Irish low-cost airline Ryanair will open two new bases in Italy in March next year, it said on Tuesday, expanding further in its second-largest market and capitalising on the woes of bankrupt national airline Alitalia.
Europe's biggest low-cost carrier said it would open bases in the Sardinian cities of Alghero and Cagliari to ply eight domestic and 11 international routes. It also plans to increase daily flights on the lucrative Rome-Milan route to five.
That comes as a government-backed Italian investor group tries to relaunch Italy's flagship carrier Alitalia by merging its best assets with those of smaller rival Air One.
"Ryanair is continuing to grow in Italy even as Alitalia and Air One merge and offer fewer flights and higher fares," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary told a news conference.
He confirmed Ryanair -- which filed a complaint with the European Commission to block Alitalia's investor bailout -- had submitted its interest in any Rome or Milan slots that could be shed by Alitalia as part of its restructuring.
O'Leary, who has repeatedly criticised Alitalia for high fares and inefficient service, said he did not expect Alitalia's latest rescue to be successful without mass layoffs.
Ryanair will have a total of seven bases in Italy after the latest additions.
O'Leary said he expected Ryanair to carry more passengers than those carried by Alitalia domestically within two years.
Mocking the "I love Italy, I fly Alitalia" slogan coined by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi while campaigning for national elections in April, Ryanair unveiled its own version of the phrase: "Love Italy, Fly Ryanair". (Reporting by Deepa Babington; editing by Simon Jessop)
