British Airways will operate new daily London City Airport to Milan Malpensa flights from March. The new British Airways entry is part of a wider plan to expand the network operated by the airline from London City Airport.

In addition to Milan with the introduction of the summer schedule, three other new routes will be introduced to Barcelona, Luxembourg and Thessaloniki. These fights will all be operated with Embraer E190 aircraft belonging to the BA CityFlyer subsidiary.

Milan flights start on March 27

The routes to Luxembourg and Milan will start on 27 March, both served by daily frequencies. The one weekly flight to Thessaloniki will start on 18 June, operating every Saturday, while on 19 June the flights to Barcelona will also be introduced, operating daily except Saturdays. "As customers start to plan their upcoming summer travel, we wanted to offer new routes to some of Europe's most popular destinations - said Tom Stoddart, Managing Director BA CityFlyer – and these are a significant addition to our extensive network.”

Volotea expands its network from Cagliari with the addition of two new routes to Nice and Lille in France, starting on 30 May and June 2 respectively. The Nice flights will operate twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, providing more than 10,000 seats, while the weekly flight to Lille is scheduled every Thursday, and puts a total of approximately 4,400 seats on sale. With these two routes, operated exclusively by Volotea, the Spanish airline’s destinations from Cagliari will stand at 21.

Volotea has three bases in Sardinia

Since 2012, the date of its debut in the island's capital, Volotea has carried over 1.69 million passengers to Cagliari, amounting to a total of over 13,000 flights and 1.95 million seats on sale.  Sardinia has always been a strategic destination for the growth of the low-cost’s network, and it has three of its operating bases on the island, in Cagliari, Alghero and Olbia.

More options for Sardinians and foreign visitors

"These two routes provide new options for passengers wishing to take off to discover the wonders beyond the Alps,” said Valeria Rebasti, Country Manager Italy & Southeastern Europe.   The flights will also give new opportunities to foreign visitors who want to reach Cagliari and visit the beauties of the region, thus supporting and strengthening the local economy, she added.

“Sardinia must expand its network to France” 

"In this phase of restart for the tourism sector - commented David Crognaletti, Chief Commercial Officer of Sogaer, the management company of the Sardinian airport - it is essential for Cagliari and southern Sardinia to expand their networks towards the north and south of France, which is one of our most strategic markets."

Singapore Airlines has put tickets on sale to fly between Milan Malpensa and Barcelona. The airline received approval for the route from the Italian regulatory authorities. The route has been active for some time but without the possibility of selling tickets and carrying passengers between the two cities.

Flights every Monday, Wednesday and Friday 

The three weekly flights are already on sale through all the carrier's distribution channels and will be operated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting from 17 January.

Flying on a SIA Airbus A350-900 

"We are proud to add the Milan-Barcelona route to our global network," says Dale Woodhouse, Singapore Airlines’ General Manager Italy. "It offers Italian travelers an opportunity to experience the pleasure of flying on Singapore Airlines' twin-aisle Airbus A350-900. It has 3 classes, a state-of-the-art in-seat entertainment system and world-renowned in-flight service.”

British Airways raises the curtain on the network of its new BA EuroFlyer division, starting with 35 destinations, seven of which are Italian cities  - Bari, Verona, Catania, Turin, Cagliari, Venice and Milan Malpensa. Tickets went on sale mid-December, and flights will start on 7 March 2022. The new network will be operated initially by British Airways, but by autumn 2022 it will be managed under the company's trading name BA Euroflyer, while the brand name will remain British Airways.

18 aircraft and premium service

The fleet will first consist of three Airbuses, rising to 18 aircraft by the end of May. Short-haul flights from Gatwick were suspended at the outbreak of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, with several routes being transferred to Heathrow. Some of these flights will also operate from Gatwick, giving passengers a second option. "Today is a historic moment for British Airways - commented Sean Doyle, president and CEO of the British airline – with the creation of a new short-haul division, passengers at Gatwick will benefit from access to a premium service at competitive prices from the UK's flag carrier."

Competitive fares and holiday packages

Club Europe-class passengers will have complimentary catering while Euro Traveller class passengers can use the airline's Speedbird Café to purchase a selection of food and beverages on board. Tickets start from £39, a competitive offer compared to low-cost airline fares and a series of British Airways Holidays packages are also on sale, starting from £119.  

“Right now travellers are asking for flexible travel products that make it possible to change plans easily even, at the last minute,” underlines Silvia Festa, Eurail Business and Development Manager. The new Eurail portal allows for quick and easy implementation, both for online sales and offline points of sale, allowing tour operators and travel agencies to respond to the growing demand for electronic rail passes.

Attractive packages for rail travellers

“A desire to travel in an eco-sustainable way and the launch of several new night trains in Europe have sparked an interest in train travel to an ever-growing audience. Traders can take advantage of this trend by selling our Eurail and Interrail Passes, which also lend themselves to bundling with other products to provide more attractive packages for rail travellers.”

Flexible exchange and refund policies

Eurail introduced the Eurail and Interrail Passes in digital format in 2020 with the aim of offering greater travel flexibility. The passes allow for travel to 33 European countries on a single ticket using an unlimited number of trains. They can be used up to 11 months after the date of purchase, and it is possible to choose the route and departure date with maximum flexibility. Pass holders can manage their journey independently via the Rail Planner app, and another advantage of the pass is the flexible refund and exchange policy that allows travellers to change or postpone their trip at a low cost.

The importance of distribution partners 

A significant portion of annual Eurail and Interrail Pass sales comes from Eurail's distribution partners. After a rapid migration of existing distributors, Trip.com and rail travel start-up All Aboard were the first new distributors to join the programme earlier this year.

The Plaza Premium Lounge in Rome’s Leonardo Da Vinci Terminal 3 has received the highest score from Skytrax, the leading international air transport rating agency, for the excellent and consistent measures introduced to reduce the risks associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. SkyTrax's assessments considered the safety and hygiene protocols implemented by lounge operators and airlines to ensure that lounges meet the highest standards and offer advanced levels of safety for passengers.

Fiumicino’s second Skytrax quality rating

This prestigious result, with the Plaza Premium Lounge topping the ratings, is particularly significant because it is yet another confirmation of how Rome’s airport is among the most appreciated in the world in the fight against Covid-19. In fact, in 2020 Fiumicino was given the maximum 5-star rating from Skytrax following ACI’s Biosafety Trust Certification from Rina Service and Airport Health Accreditation - the first EU airport to achieve this.

“Our lounges follow global safety and quality standards”

“We are thrilled to be awarded with the highest 5-Star Covid-19 Airline Lounge Safety Rating. Safeguarding everyone’s health and wellbeing is of the utmost importance to us. Air travel may seem a little stressful these days, but thanks to the dedication and commitment of our teams in ensuring a hygienic and safe environment for our passengers, we hope that travellers can achieve some peace of mind in these unprecedented times. As travel demand recovers we look forward to hosting more valued guests into our lounges,” said Analia Marinoff, General Manager, Italy & Finland, Plaza Premium Group.

“We combine safety and quality with timeliness and incisiveness”

“We are particularly proud of the recognition received by the Plaza Premium Lounge - said Federico Scriboni, Head of Aviation Business ADR - it is a positive and hopeful sign for the future. This award shows that safety and quality, combined with timeliness and incisiveness, has made Fiumicino one of the most recognised airports in the world in the fight against Covid-19.”

Trenitalia’s CEO Luigi Corradi called the new Milan-Paris route "a dream that will come true – adding - and we are working to bring the Frecciarossa 1000 to Spain by the end of 2022." In Paris the route will be managed by Trenitalia France, formerly Thello. "It will be a start-up - explains Corradi - and the service can be increased according to the results." The route will be via Turin in high-speed, and then continue to Lyon and Paris on the French network. 

Regional services are approaching pre-Covid levels

The non-stop high-speed Frecce trains have been reinstated, while regional trains, with 1.1 million trips per day, are approaching the 1.6 million pre-Covid level. Presenting the new winter schedule Corradi explained that "more than 230 Frecce will connect the big cities, with 6 more Frecciarossa per day between Rome and Milan, and 4 non-stop Frecciarossa Milan-Rome services.”  

“Intercity trains pass through tourist spots and serve major cultural events”

There will also be "more connections to the South with greater frequency, direct trains and integrated train+bus solutions to reach ports and airports throughout Italy". In the 2021-2022 winter timetable 94 Intercity trains will be "offering a capillary service with maximum comfort even where the Frecce do not arrive" and there are 24 Intercity Night trains. The aim is "to connect medium-sized towns and provincial capitals, passing through tourist spots and serving major cultural events throughout Italy." 

New destinations are also planned for the Regional unit with its 6,800 daily trains, to "visit places of high cultural and scenic value, also with your own bike thanks to the more than 20,000 bicycle slots available every day, and with recharging points for e-bikes."  In 2022 the regional fleet, 50% of which already has new trains, will see the arrival of a further 105 new trains, all of which will cut energy consumption by 30%. 

La Compagnie’s new route from New York Newark to Milan Malpensa will be introduced on 15 April 2022 with a 76-seat Airbus A321neo in Business Class flying every day except on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The choice of Milan Malpensa as a new European destination -  in addition to those already served from Paris and Nice  bringing flights to a total of 15 a week to the Big Apple (seven weekly flights from Paris, three from Nice and five from Milan) -  is strategic said the airline’s President Christian Vernet. "After London and Paris, Milan is the third most important route to New York and following the bankruptcy of Air Italy and the move from Alitalia at Ita Airways we think there is room for us. Our 100% business positioning fully meets the needs of Italy which is a premium, business market.”

Lounge access and gourmet in-flight menus  

The A321neo has 76 fully-reclining Business Class seats and a state-of-the-art entertainment system. Noise-cancelling earphones provide sound enhancement of movies and music, and there is unlimited wi-fi throughout the flight. The gourmet cuisine uses seasonal products and on flights departing from Milan Italian specialities are to be introduced. La Compagnie’s passengers have access to lounges at each departure airport and can reserve a car with a driver at the time of booking or on the website. Vernet estimates that approximately 12,000 passengers will be carried on the new Milan-New York route from April to October 2022, an estimated average load factor of 75% with the Italian market representing around 50% of passengers on the route.