As the long-awaited Alitalia privatisation process reaches its final stages, fellow Italian carriers Air One and Myair have been busy expanding.
Edgardo Badiali, chief executive of Bergamo-based low-cost carrier Myair, says 2007 will be a "year of expansion", which will see the airline's passenger numbers more than double to 2.5 million. He adds Myair will base an Airbus A320 in the Romanian capital Bucharest, and is considering opening additional international bases over the next couple of years. Cities under evaluation include Bordeaux, Lille and Nantes in France, as well as Sofia in Bulgaria.
Myair recently became a launch customer for the Bombardier CRJ1000 following the conversion of 15 of its CRJ900 orders. Badiali also expects Myair's five-strong A320 fleet to grow to between 15 and 20 aircraft within five years.
Meanwhile, Rome-based Air One has signed an agreement with Airbus to firm options on a further 50 A320-family aircraft, increasing to 90 its orders for the type. Some of the A320s will replace its 30 Boeing 737s. Air One chief executive Carlo Toto says the A320 order is "proof of how much Air One has been increasing its activity, in Italy and abroad".
Italian flag carrier Alitalia moved one step closer to privatisation in mid-May when Italy's government cleared all three short-listed bidders to proceed to the final stage. Those remaining in the race include Aeroflot and Unicredit MatlinPatterson, Texas Pacific Group and Mediobanca and Air One-affiliated AP Holding. Final bids will be presented by the end of June.
For more on Myair, read our web chief executive interview with Badiali at www.flightglobal.com/Myair.
Source: Airline Business
