Italian civil aviation authority Enac may force serious delays to British Airways flights from Rome to London as part of its battle with the UKairline over fares.
Cancellations could result from Enac's stated intention to "interview" passengers thought to have bought tickets it deems to be priced lower than those sold by Alitalia on the same route. BA says it will "stand firm" over any such measures. Enac told BA on 29 July that it had three days to comply before it took action. So far nothing has happened, mainly because Italian officials concerned with the case are on holiday.
BA complained to Brussels in July that the Italian government was unfairly propping up its national carrier. The move followed an Italian request that BA increase its fares on the Rome-New York route via London, where its price undercuts that charged by Alitalia on direct routing between the cities. The UK airline says indirect routings such as this are an essential part of the European Commission's competition policy because they temper anti-competitive activity.
The EC has already criticised Enac for telling European airlines to raise their fares to the level charged by Alitalia. The flag carrier is working on a rescue plan that includes a planned Italian government emergency loan of g400 million ($480 million), prompting complaints from non-state-controlled airlines.
Source: Flight International
