Etihad extends Belgrade suspension

GLOBAL AVIATION NEWS

Alitalia brand on sale

ITA will start flying on October 15 as Italy's new flag carrier, replacing a bankrupt Alitalia, but hardly anyone has heard of it. That's not the case for Alitalia - a storied brand, albeit tarnished by years of labour troubles, inefficiency and serial bankruptcies. Which is why the head of ITA Fabio Lazzerini (a former Alitalia man) plans to buy the brand in a tender the Italian government announced last week. ITA will be flying the old airline's aircraft, using many of its slots in Milan and Rome, and be staffed by the slimmed-down remnants of the old carrier's workforce. That's not the way ITA is being spun by Brussels and Rome. The European Commission determined last week that ITA and Alitalia are separate entities - so-called economic discontinuity. As a result, the new company is not liable for €900 million in illegal state aid received by its predecessor, which also allows Rome to inject €1.35 billion of fresh money into the new company. Just a few weeks before its maiden flight, search engine results for “ITA” bring up everything from the Italian Trade Agency to Amsterdam’s International Theatre. That makes the Alitalia brand crucial for the new company. ITA chief Lazzerini said he’d “do everything” to win the auction, which starts at €290 million. Only Ryanair publicly showed any interest - which it has since withdrawn. Industry figures say there’s been little appetite among competitors for the troubled brand, although reports say Italian ministerial officials are expecting some interest. Only companies “having a net worth … of not less than €200 million and holding air transport operating licenses or air operator certifications” are allowed to bid.
Politico

Etihad extends Belgrade suspension

NEWS FLASH

Etihad Airways has extended the temporary suspension of its flights between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade until January 2, 2021. Services were originally scheduled to resume on November 25. Once restored, flights will be maintained twice per week. Entry into Abu Dhabi for non-residents is still not permitted, while Australia, a source of passengers for the airline on flights to and from Belgrade, is still closed off for almost all inbound and outbound international travel for all nationalities. Flydubai will continue to maintain services between Serbia and the United Arab Emirates. Entry into Dubai is permitted with a negative PCR test.

Comments

Anonymous15:29
All airlines are waiting for the Covid vaccine to come out next month and airlines are just delaying and delaying in order to survive. I think EY will return in April and not January.
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Anonymous16:25
Disappointing.
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Anonymous22:39
No report of cancelled route between MUC and BEG by LH?
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