The national airline yesterday announced it would start schedule operations to Bologna’s G. Marconi Airport, lauding its “aggressive expansion” strategy in Italy.
The news comes after repeated attempts by low cost carrier Ryanair to obtain government permission to fly to Forli airport, just outside Bologna, after Italian low cost airline Meridiana vacated the route earlier this month
Air Malta will offer a twice-weekly service starting from mid-December.
In the meantime, Ryanair’s deputy CEO Michael Cawley will today address a press conference on developments in the Maltese market with respect to aviation.
The government yesterday also issued a call for proposals to operate a three-times weekly service to Venice, an underserved route to Malta.
Bologna will be Air Malta’s eighth scheduled destination in Italy. This route is being launched a few months after the Maltese airline expanded its Rome services to three daily frequencies, introduced direct services to Venice and Naples, and increased its intra-European flights from its Catania base.
In order to enhance its marketing and distribution penetration in the Italian market, Air Malta has recently code-shared its Rome services with Italy’s largest privately owned airline – Air One.
The airline is also planning to enter discussions with Malpensa airport after Alitalia announced it would cut 150 routes to the Milanese hub of Malpensa to relocate further to Rome Fiumicino.
Other interested airlines include Alpi eagles, AirOne and Etihad – all having signalled their interest in taking up the routes Alitalia may be expected to cut. According to Roberto Formigoni, the president of the Lombardy region, any company chosen to take over the routes will have to “do everything Alitalia had promised in these last years, but which failed to keep.”
In the meantime, Ryanair had reportedly demanded the Bologna route as part of a “deal” with the government over its long-haul package of flights to Valencia, Stockholm and Bremen.
Sources said the government declined giving Ryanair the Trapani route, instead offering Bari. Ryanair said it needed an Italian short-haul route to balance out its long-haul flights to Bremen, Valencia and Stockholm.
Air Malta also announced that the Bologna service will be included in its latest promotion ‘Thank God For Wednesdays’ whereby every week Air Malta is offering three destinations at Lm3 (EUR6.99) one-way fares, excluding taxes and fuel surcharge.
“The new Bologna service further cements Air Malta’s position as a leading carrier in Italy – one of the islands’ most important trading partners,” the airline said. “These services show our expansionist vision for Italy. We strongly believe that the Italian market holds exciting opportunities to Air Malta, and we are ready to take advantage of these new market developments and opportunities,” said CEO Joe Cappello.