Andy Nativi/GENOA
Nine airlines unhappy with a European Commission (EC) ruling forcing them to move all flights from Milan Linate Airport to the new Malpensa site are refusing to drop their complaint, and will lobby for a U-turn from incoming EC transport commissioner Loyola de Palacio.
The carriers will be required to make the transfer following a deal struck between incumbent commissioner Neil Kinnock, the Italian Government, airports operator SEA and Alitalia. The agreement was part of a wider deal allowing the Italian flag carrier to receive the final tranche of a L2.75 billion ($15 million) state aid grant.
Under an earlier compromise, European carriers had been allowed to keep 34% of flights at Linate, having complained that they would be disadvantaged by a move to Malpensa, with its incomplete transport links, while Alitalia could continue feeding its Rome hub from the older airport.
Following the ruling, carriers must move all flights to Malpensa in early November, with Rome services staying at Linate. This will be delayed only if the road and rail links are unfinished by then. As a sop to the European complainants, the switch will be to Terminal 1 - which has the best links of the two terminals. The compromise also applies to intercontinental flights, but only where at least one such service a day is offered.
Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa, Olympic Airways, Sabena, SAS and TAP Air Portugal are unhappy with the ruling and argue that they should be allowed to keep flights at Linate until 2001, when Malpensa's third terminal opens. De Palacio, set to take over in September, will have the final say.
As part of the EC ruling on Alitalia's grant, Rome has agreed that the airline will not engage in "price leading", will improve productivity to meet EC targets, and will limit seat growth to 2% this year and next, rather than 2.7%. Regulations governing routes beyond the EC will also be modified, to avoid discrimination against Alitalia's home competitors.
Source: Flight International
