Alitalia tells Ryanair it will pursue its own business plans
(ANSA) – Rome, November 26 – Italian flag carrier Alitalia said Tuesday that it has its own business strategies to pursue following an offer from low-cost European airline Ryanair.
Cash-strapped Alitalia was responding to a scheme presented earlier in the day by Ireland-based Ryanair, which said it was launching a new hub at Rome’s major international airport Fiumicino and was hoping to team up with Alitalia on some routes.
The Italian company said it has its own business strategies to pursue.
“Alitalia thanks Ryanair for its proposal for a collaboration…but remember that (Alitalia) has its own strategy, business plan, fleet and crews,” the Italian carrier said in a statement. The low-cost carrier is offering feeder flights that it said would fit into Alitalia’s international network based at Rome Fiumicino. “Ryanair believes that by offering to feed Alitalia’s international hub at Fiumicino and by searching for opportunities to work with and assist Alitalia in its turnaround, that we can help the new investors and the management of Alitalia to return that airline to profitability and viability,” said Ryanair Deputy CEO Michael Cawley.
Alitalia has been looking for other international partners after Air France-KLM said it would not take part in an emergency 300-million-euro capital increase for the troubled Italian carrier.
The capital increase was approved in October by Alitalia shareholders as part of a plan to pull the airline back from the brink of bankruptcy.