The Alitalia brand could return to the skies on long-haul routes once Lufthansa's entry into ITA Airways has been sealed, the relaunch plan has got underway, and when the Italian airline finally starts making profits.
The return of the historic Alitalia brand would, it seems, be in the plans, and would be reserved for the airline's intercontinental routes, while the ITA blue livery would remain on domestic and European flights.
The pay rise dispute has stalled
The indiscretion - nothing has been decided yet - was reported today by the daily newspaper Il Corriere della Sera, following yesterday’s meeting between the unions and ITA Airways CEO Fabio Lazzerini: a meeting that left the dispute over a pay increase still stalled. The airline admits that a change is necessary, but, it explains, 'internal steps' will have to be taken, also with the sole shareholder which is the Ministry of Economy and Finance, to decide when to grant the salary adjustments and to what extent.
The timetable for the takeover could stretch some months
The timetable for the negotiations with the German airline, which began on 27 January last, points to mid-March for the signing of the preliminary contract between the Italian ministry and Lufthansa. It will then be up to the European Antitrust Authority to give the go-ahead in a timeframe of at least 40 days if no other party presents objections. If there are any requests for revision from competitors things could stretch a few months, which would mean a conclusion no earlier than the end of July or the beginning of August.
Read also "Lufthansa istIta Airways"
