Ryanair launches three new Italian bases: Alghero, Cagliari and Bologna

Ryanair has launched three new Italian bases (now totaling seven) at Alghero, Bologna and Cagliari Airports offering a total of sixty-seven domestic and international routes, generating over four million passengers per annum and supporting four thousand jobs in Italy.

Ryanair will base two aircraft at each of these three airports bringing Ryanair’s total investment in Italy to twenty-six aircraft worth almost two billion dollars.

Celebrating these Italian Base Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“Ryanair and Italy today join in the celebration of continued low fares growth across Italy. Our three new bases in Alghero, Bologna and Cagliari will see over four million new passengers pass through these three airports over the next year on sixty-seven low cost domestic and international routes.

Easier.com
“Ryanair’s continued expansion in Italy during a time of economic recession shows the benefit of competition and low fares in Italy. Ryanair will carry over seventeen million passengers to/from Italy this year and will sustain seventeen-thousand jobs throughout the regions. Passengers can continue to beat the recession by choosing Ryanair’s guaranteed lowest fares and no fuel surcharges over Alitalia’s high fare, strike ridden services.

“Ryanair’s guaranteed lowest fares are available to book online at Ryanair.com”.

Alitalia is born again

Alitalia, the airline that has flown popes, princes and prima donnas, was reborn as a smaller, privately-owned carrier amid chaos on Tuesday as protests by disgruntled employees delayed or cancelled inaugural flights.
Once a symbol of Italy's post-war economic boom, Alitalia filed for bankruptcy last year, succumbing to labour strife, high costs and mismanagement. A group of Italian investors bought its best parts, leaving the rest to the Italian state.
After months of haggling with unions and frenetic talks with politicians seeking to save local airports, Alitalia flight AZ 676 to Sao Paolo took off promptly at 5:10 a.m. british time from Milan in the carrier's virgin flight under a new network and new owners.
"We've done it. There's no turning back from the new Alitalia now and all the prophets of misfortune have been silenced," said Labour Minister Maurizio Sacconi, whose government had made saving Alitalia a top priority.
But the airline's first domestic flight took off 20 minutes late and 11 flights at Milan's Linate airport were cancelled because all gates for planes were occupied.
In a reminder of the old challenges facing the reshaped carrier, Alitalia workers wary of the impact from a new alliance with Air France-KLM demonstrated at Milan's Malpensa airport by chanting slogans and waving union banners, causing delays.
At Rome's Fiumicino airport, delays of more than two hours were reported as workers marched outside.
Alitalia's unions have been bickering with its new owners for months, accusing them of not respecting prior agreements. Alitalia CEO Rocco Sabelli said the unions were mainly unhappy with their pick of a new cleaning service.

Reuters

Alitalia was merged with the Italian airline Air One that offers regular flights from Rome Fumicino and Milano Linate to Alghero.

Alitalia: no flights from January 12 to 13 due to the switch from the old to the new Alitalia.

No flights in the night from January 12 to 13 due to the switch from the old to the new Alitalia. Sources in CAI reported this to AGI, specifying that flights will be stopped ''for one night'' to allow all operations requested by ENAC regarding licences and certifications to pass from the 'old0 to the new airline, which will start on January 13. ''We have known'' about the technical stop ''for some time'' the source added. ''It will last several hours''. Alitalia has been merged with Italian carrier Air One that serves Alghero from the Italian hubs of Roma Fuminicino and Milano Linate. However, flights with Air One numbers (starting with AP) are not concerned by the flight block.