Ita Airways is looking with great interest at the Arabian Peninsula market with new flights introduced between Rome Fiumicino and Riyadh.

The Riyadh flights are ITA’s debut in the Arabian Peninsula

The route will be operated five weekly frequencies (daily except Tuesdays and Saturdays) with an Airbus A321neo, the first narrowbody aircraft configured with three separate cabins: Business Class (12 seats), Premium Economy (12 seats) and Economy (141 seats, 12 of which are dedicated to Comfort Economy). The flights from Riyadh also represents ITA's debut in connections to the Arabian Peninsula, a market from which new flights to Rome from Kuwait City (1 July) and Jeddah (1 August) will also soon be launched.

“The new flights will intensify trade”

“Saudi Arabia is a rapidly expanding and strategic market for ITA Airways, especially for business traffic,- said Emiliana Limosani, chief commercial officer of ITA and CEO of Volare. “This new flight marks a significant milestone for our company and will intensify trade between the Arabian Peninsula and Italy. Our commitment to the Middle Eastern region will continue with the introduction of new direct flights from Kuwait City and Jeddah in July and August”.

“Excellent prospects for both the leisure and business markets”

"Saudi Arabia is a booming market,- added Federico Scriboni, aviation business development director of Aeroporti di Roma. -With around 200,000 passengers carried in 2023 Fiumicino has quadrupled the traffic volumes of 2019, a growth trend confirmed in the first four months of 2024, which was up +33% compared to the same period last year. The launch of ITA Airways‘ new Riyadh flight shows the growing relevance of a market with excellent prospects for further development in terms of both the leisure and business markets.”

Both airlines have extended their codeshare agreement

ITA Airways and Saudia have extended their codeshare agreement and the partnership to their respective loyalty programmes, Volare and AlFursan. The agreement will provide more benefits and travel options, as well as a wider network of connections for passengers travelling between Italy and Saudi Arabia, as well as to other destinations within their respective networks.

Connections in Rome to a total 36 destinations 

Passengers flying with Saudia to Italy can reach 12 domestic destinations (Venice, Bologna, Florence, Lamezia Terme, Palermo, Catania, Turin, Naples, Bari, Reggio Calabria, Genoa and Brindisi), 15 international destinations (Amsterdam, Athens, Frankfurt, Cairo, Geneva, Brussels, Madrid, Sofia, Tirana, Nice, Munich, Barcelona, Malta and London City) and 9 intercontinental (including Miami, San Francisco, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo) via ITA flights from Rome Fiumicino.

Passenger benefits on both carriers 

Passengers on the two carriers will also benefit from a number of privileges, including booking a single ticket for itineraries with connecting flights, baggage check-in to the final destination, as well as earning and redeeming points for upgrades and other frequent flyer benefits, in addition to existing benefits available to SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus members. Exclusive services include priority check-in and boarding, preferential baggage drop-off counters and additional baggage allowances.

Sata Azores Airlines' route to Ponta Delgada made its Milan Malpensa debut on 5 June.

“The same aircraft and flight number connect Boston to Milan”

Aldo Schmid, head of aviation marketing, negotiations & traffic rights at SEA Aeroporti, defined the debut as “special” for several reasons. “Not only do we have a new scheduled carrier operating from our airport, but it is the only airline connecting the Azores archipelago with continental Europe (Iberian Peninsula aside of course), and it is directed to a destination that is trendy and appreciated by travellers, as shown by the passenger numbers of the past years. These have been in the region of 16-17,000 which is an excellent starting point to make this direct flight profitable. It is also special as, with the same aircraft and flight number, it connects Boston to Milan. In short, a transatlantic flight to all intents and purposes, which is added to the network from Malpensa to the United States, with a technical stopover in the Azores.” 

Starting with two weekly Airbus A321neo flights

This means that passengers will have the opportunity to make a stopover in Ponta Delgada, visit the Azores, and then continue on to Boston or vice versa. "We are starting with two weekly flights between Milan and the island of São Miguel, but we are already studying the possibility of offering daily frequencies. Flights operated with an Airbus A321neo are on Wednesdays and Fridays up to next 27 September,” adds José Roque, chief financial officer of Sata Azores Airlines.

Sata Azores Airlines is represented by Aviareps Italia

The company's plans for the Italian market are clear, as Teresa Gonçalves, the company's CEO, confirms: “We have been studying the connection between Ponta Delgada and Milan for some time. Our expectations for this route are very high, both in terms of forecasts and the flow of bookings that we already have in our system. Azores Airlines (represented by Aviareps Italia) has increased its offer to new destinations, both nationally and internationally, and is constantly growing. Milan is a very significant market for us, with great potential for growth. We believe that this route will not only provide additional options for our passengers residing in the Azores, but also new possibilities for connecting air traffic, which has been constantly using Azores Airlines flights to reach North America and Europe.” 

“Milan Malpensa is operating 13% more international flights this summer”

For Milan Malpensa the new route arrives at a positive time for the airport: “Since the beginning of this year we have posted a 12% increase in passengers over 2023, when we surpassed the passenger record of the pre-Covid period,- points out Schmid, -and for the summer season the capacity planned for international flights is 13% higher than last year, with a double-digit number also for long-haul flights.”  

As usual the two long-haul source markets driving up the numbers for European tourism are the United States and Canada. This year the Old Continent is projected to reach record levels in terms of tourist spending, at least according to the recent European Travel Commission report that paints the picture of a robust recovery. That so far has not been challenged by the difficult international geopolitical context.

With the USA and Canada continuing to dominate the scene, the trend in Italy is fully confirmed by that of the US, Canadian and Italian airlines. Practically all the carriers operating transatlantic flights have invested in growth, either in terms of new routes, boosting the number of frequencies, or stretching the operational season by starting in early spring and ending in late autumn.

There are also positive signs for arrivals from Latin America, and Brazil in particular. And while the APAC region is improving compared to the last quarter, the recovery remains modest and uneven, and although Chinese travellers are starting to return to Europe, recovery from Japan is still slow.

Reinforcing this desire for Europe are major events like the Olympic Games in Paris and the UEFA Euro 2024 European Football Championship in Germany. In the first case it is estimated that domestic and international visitors will generate a growth in inbound expenditure of +13% for Paris and +24% in France as a whole, compared to 2019.

A positive picture that will be a breath of fresh air for Europe’s travel and tourism industry, which were hit hard by the pandemic years and the ongoing economic instability. And, there are still clouds on the horizon, with the rumblings from Ukraine to Israel.

Mariella Cattaneo
Journalist

Milan Linate is officially a “full biometric” airport with the inauguration of the FaceBoarding service.

ITA Airways was one of the first to join 

This service allows passengers who wish to do so to access security controls and proceed to boarding using a biometric facial recognition system. This is the first airport in Europe to introduce the official use of biometrics for Faceboarding. The service - witnessed by the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala - is available to all airlines that integrate their check-in and boarding systems with FaceBoarding: Ita Airways and SAS were the first two carriers to join.

Sea Aeroporti’s CEO Armando Brunini

“FaceBoarding aims to further enhance the passenger experience”

"This technology uses biometrics to replace the traditional boarding pass and ID card during transit through security and at gate entry. The main objective is twofold: to improve the overall security of the process and to offer a smoother and more comfortable experience to passengers,- said Sea Aeroporti’s CEO Armando Brunini. -In the last year and a half this airport has been the protagonist of three significant innovation and technology grafts: on Smart security, reducing transit times and simplifying passenger routes; then Metro 4, a true game changer of which the airport is a big beneficiary; and finally today with FaceBoarding, a further investment that aims to further enhance the passenger experience."

Reducing the time required for ID checks 

Passengers who have previously registered via kiosks in the airport or directly from their mobile devices (the mobile app will be available from June), will thus reduce the time required for ID checks while increasing security and guaranteeing the protection of passenger data. In fact, it will no longer be necessary to show documents and/or boarding pass at the pre-security turnstiles and boarding gates, which become self-service.

Sea's partners in the project are Thales and Dormakaba which developed the biometric processing system and the gates respectively. "Through the adoption of these new technologies,- noted Mayor Sala. -Milan fully embraces its role as a global player. Our airports represent the starting point of this bold vision, acting as a bridge between the city and the world.” 

There is a new chapter in the future for Parma airport, together with Canadian Centerline Airport Partners Italia which recently acquired 51% of the shares of Sogeap, Giuseppe Verdi Airport’s management company.

Parma is a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy

Right in the heart of the Emilia Romagna region Parma is a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy, and the nucleus of the Italian Food Valley, with a plethora of protected typical products, including Prosciutto di Parma Dop ham, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese, Culatello di Zibello PDO ham, Fungo di Borgotaro PGI mushrooms, Coppa di Parma PGI salame and Colli di Parma Doc wines, to mention just a few. Now Parma has aspirations to an even more international horizon, with potential direct air connections to new destinations beyond Italy.

A partnership for consolidation and development

The recently sealed agreement with the Canadian company “fulfils the aim of Parma Airport, a company wholly owned by Unione Parma degli Industriali, to create conditions for the consolidation and development, in line with the needs of the Parma area, of airport infrastructure through the engagement of an industrial partner capable of providing the skills and resources necessary to fully exploit the airport's potential.”

“A new, intriguing, and significant chapter”   

In the summer of 2024 operations at the airport, which is named after Verdi, the great opera composer who was born just 35 km from Parma in Roncole di Busseto, will see connections to Cagliari, Palermo, Malta, and Chisinau. “At the end of May the Canadians will assume ownership of the shares and will commence the management of Sogeap's activities in Parma,” explains Sogeap president Guido Dalla Rosa Prati. “This means the city airport is set for a new, intriguing, and significant chapter. Flight activities are already planned for various European cities, Parma airport needed to expand and this marks the definitive turning point. Parma will evolve into a hub for commercial flights across the region and beyond. It will primarily serve passengers, without excluding cargo.” 

The designated date is 6 June: the new deadline by which the European Commission will evaluate Lufthansa’s proposals to earn the green light for the acquisition of ITA Airways.

Things have been dragging on for months for a marriage that would further consolidate Europe's skies, and that the German giant is confident will happen. Despite the sacrifices imposed by the EU. Yes, because Brussels is still mulling over a number of short-haul routes between Italy and Central Europe, some long-haul routes from Italy to the United States, Canada and Japan and, above all, the dominant position of ITA Airways at Milan Linate airport.

This week the Germans officially confirmed that they had presented “some potential remedies” that would address the competition concerns raised by the EU regarding the above-mentioned routes and Milan's City Airport. Solutions that Lufthansa says are “compatible with the economic reality of the highly competitive Italian air market.”

But how many and which “sacrifices” is Lufthansa willing to concede to obtain the coveted go-ahead for the ITA operation? Things are unclear, but a hint might come from what is happening – with more or less similar characteristics - at IAG which, for some time now, has been trying to acquire Air Europa. This operation has also raised EU doubts and forced the parent company of British Airways and Iberia to come to a tough compromise involving the sale to other carriers  of 40% of the flights operated in 2023 by Air Europa. With “other carriers” understood to mean companies not controlled by IAG, thus guaranteeing the continued presence of a competitor on the “incriminated” routes.

Now it’s over to Lufthansa-ITA Airways: the clock is ticking.

Mariella Cattaneo
Journalist

We are just a few months away from the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Salerno-Amalfi Coast airport, set for 11 July. This debut is being called an “epochal challenge” as it goes beyond the confines of an area with one Italy’s most iconic destinations - Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast - long one of the most sought-after spots particularly for North American and British visitors. 

This new airport will also bolster development potentials for neighboring areas, starting with the Cilento, a part of Campania that is certainly less well-known to foreign visitors.  So it is an unmissable opportunity, contingent upon the robust development of services and infrastructure capable of accommodating increased volumes of travellers.

And as the flight network gradually takes shape, with airlines such as easyJet, which will connect London Gatwick, Berlin and Geneva, and Volotea, which will fly from Nantes, announcing they will be using it, local administrators are faced with a pressing obligation. Territorial marketing actions are needed to promote the beauty of this little-known area. Another crucial element are new links between the airport and the surrounding area, first and foremost with Salerno’s railway station which is an ideal interchange hub for the Amalfi Coast, the Cilento and the entire coast, while a further imperative are training courses for hotel staff and the industry as a whole. 

"Considering that we are talking about 3.5 million travellers over the next 4 to 5 years, we must be ready with quality services and efficient transport," said Vincenzo De Luca, president of the Campania Region. Let's hope that good intentions translate into tangible action, rather than mere aspirations.

Mariella Cattaneo
Journalist

Delta Air Lines is gearing up to make its debut in Naples in 2024 with bookings on the Naples – New York route progressing well.

“Naples and the Amalfi Coast are highly popular with Americans”

Frederic Schenk“We are thrilled to introduce this new flight for the summer, which is becoming an increasingly busy period for our transatlantic flights,- says Frederic Schenk, Delta’s regional sales manager Southern Europe. -Naples and the Amalfi Coast are highly popular with Americans and we anticipate robust demand from US travellers for our new flight, with an on-board ratio of approximately 30% Italian-70% American. Naples' strategic position in Southern Italy, coupled with the opportunity to connect to almost 70 destinations across America via our JFK hub, makes this route very appealing.”

Italy is one of Delta’s strategic markets in Europe

Italy has consistently been one of Delta's strategic markets in Europe, “Last year we carried around one million passengers between Italy and the United States. Delta's passengers typically belong to the premium segment, are high spenders and have a preference for premium travel experiences. This is why Delta has a unique advantage in entering the Naples market, acting as the gateway to the Amalfi Coast.”

Delta caters to passengers' travel needs

Delta offers various cabin experiences to cater to passengers' travel needs, ranging from business class, Delta One, which features a fully reclining seat bed, direct aisle access, and a comprehensive meal service, to the main cabin. Onboard amenities include on-demand Wi-Fi with free mobile messaging, entertainment on seat-back screens or personal devices, seat power, and USB ports.

Moving from seven to ten weekly connections

Globally, Delta's Italian summer operations will be a 14% year-on-year increase between Italy and the United States. In addition to the new Naples flight, confirmed connections include Milan Malpensa from New York (year-round) and Atlanta; Rome from New York, Atlanta, Boston (year-round), and Detroit; Venice from New York and Atlanta. Moreover, flights from Atlanta to Venice will see an increase from seven to ten weekly connections.

Occasionally things can come back again. And this is indeed the case with the Alitalia brand, which could soon return to fly the blue skies of Italy and around the globe. A possibility that was leaked, more or less clearly, by Antonino Turicchi the executive chairman of ITA Airways when commenting on the airline's 2023 budget. 

A budget that highlights how the carrier has “stopped burning money” and can indeed start “making a profit,” but which, nevertheless, comes up against the obstacle course mapped out by the European Commission, which still has to express its go-ahead for the acquisition of ITA by the Lufthansa group. Indeed, in the last few days a series of “extreme” requests have arrived, as have some tough “sacrifices” for both sides if the merger is to go ahead. These go from the cession of precious slots, to support for competitors to increase competition on routes identified as problematic.

Or course the brand is given as a winner, a nostalgic symbol of that time (another century and another world) when flying was almost a privilege, and synonymous with impeccable service and quality. A fascination that, it goes without saying, rises above the “negative” image the brand had in the latter years of the company's life, when Alitalia was synonymous with bad financial management and operating in the red.

"It will be back," the executive chairman declared, confirming what had already made headlines in 2022, although the last word on the matter rests with the Germans. One thing is certain, the brand acquired for €90 million by ITA Airways in September 2021 was clearly not meant to be hidden under a bushel. A couple of years ago there was talk of a return of the iconic brand on planes operating intercontinental routes, and today there are suggestions that a potential union between ITA and Air Dolomiti (the division, or rather the Italian “gem” of the Lufthansa group) could fly under the Alitalia brand. But only once LH has completed its entry into up to 90% of ITA’s capital. A path which, as we mentioned at the start, is still an uphill one.

Mariella Cattaneo
Journalist