OAG Travel News

Air service in Italy often plays out like a soap opera, and it is Italian flag-carrier Alitalia that is at the center of the drama.  Every few weeks new reports surface about the carrier’s recent activities – Alitalia is either courting another suitor (merger partner or new owner), suffering through domestic issues (strikes) or some other life-threatening crisis is on the horizon.  And although Alitalia has long played the starring air service role in Italy, there is an increasingly strong cast of supporting characters that shore up the air transportation opportunities across the country.  Air One, Meridiana, Ryanair, easyJet and Lufthansa may not receive as much air time as Alitalia, but they are playing increasingly important – and competitive – roles on both the domestic and international air service scenes.

Domestic Service
Not surprisingly, SkyTeam Alliance member Alitalia accounts for the largest percentage of domestic air service in Italy – in fact, one-third of all domestic flights are on Alitalia.  As with any colorful soap opera character, Alitalia’s hubbing strategy recently shifted from split operations in Rome and Milan to (once again) a sole focus on Rome.  Air One ranks as the second-largest provider of domestic Italian service with over one quarter of total flights.  With hubs in Milan (Linate), Rome (Fiumicino), Turin and Venice, Air One – which means heron – provides service to 17 Italian cities.

Meridiana is the third-largest provider of domestic air service in Italy offering flights to 14 cities.  Based in Olbia on the island of Sardinia, Meridiana was founded in 1963 and operates an average of 61 daily domestic departures.  The fourth-largest provider of domestic air service in Italy is Sicily-based Wind Jet.  The Sicilian cities of Catania and Palermo serve as Wind Jet’s two focus cities, and the carrier operates an average of 26 daily domestic departures.

Sixteen of the 24 airlines that offer domestic air service in Italy are Italian.  Of the eight non-Italian-based carriers, the two largest are European low-cost juggernauts Ryanair and easyJet.  These outsiders play a key role in offering competitive service on heavily traveled domestic routes.  EasyJet’s primary base of service in Italy is Milan Malpensa Airport, while Ryanair has based its service at Milan’s Orio Al Serio Airport and Rome’s Ciampino Airport.  These unique choices fit the brash personality of Ryanair, as described in more detail below.

Over 25 percent of domestic Italian flights are from historic Rome, and Rome’s Fiumicino Airport accounts for 98 percent of the city’s domestic air service.  Rome Ciampino Airport averages just five daily domestic flights – all on Ryanair.  Opened in 1916, Ciampino served as the primary airport for Rome until Fiumicino opened in 1960.  Following Ryanair’s model of serving the lowest-cost airports even if they are not the most convenient to the city center, all of Ryanair’s service to Rome is from Ciampino.

If Alitalia is the drama queen of Italian airlines, then Milan is the drama queen of Italian airports.  Ranking as the second-largest city for Italian domestic air service with one in five flights, Milan is home to four airports.  Linate Airport is the largest airport in Milan and serves primarily domestic destinations.  In addition, it is the closest airport to central Milan.  Malpensa Airport operates just over half the flights of Linate but with a stronger focus on international service.  Situated 30 miles from the city center, Malpensa is connected to downtown Milan with the Malpensa Express train, and a scheduled bus connects Malpensa with Linate.  Orio Al Serio Airport, 25 miles east of the city center, is marketed as Milan’s “low-cost airport” with the two largest carriers providing domestic service not domestic carriers at all – instead they are Ireland-based Ryanair and UK-based easyJet.  Last but not least, Milan’s fourth airport is Parma, served by Alitalia and Wind Jet.  Interestingly, Alitalia offers service to all four of Milan’s airports – the only carrier with this distinction, and a link between the two “drama queens” of Italian air service.

Nearly half of all domestic Italian air service originates from Rome or Milan.  But an additional 30 Italian cities enjoy scheduled domestic commercial air service, and two of these cities – Venice and Verona – have more than one airport.

International Service

Alitalia just barely edges out Ryanair as Italy’s largest international carrier.  With service to nearly 60 international destinations around the world, Alitalia accounts for 13 percent of Italy’s international air service.  While Ryanair accounts for the second-largest number of international flights from Italy with 12 percent, the carrier only connects Italy with 41 international destinations, all in Europe.

Nearly nine of every 10 international flights from Italy are destined for cities in Europe.  Given this fact, it is no surprise that the largest non-Italian airlines operating international service from Italy are European carriers.  Behind Ryanair, Lufthansa (11%), Air France (7%), easyJet (6%), British Airways (3.5%) and Iberia (3%) rank as the largest international service providers in Italy.

Domestic powerhouse Air One continues to increase its international presence and ranks as the second-largest Italian carrier offering international air service.  Air One initiated its first transatlantic service this summer from Milan Malpensa to both Boston and Chicago.  The carrier has also entered into a codeshare agreement with several Star Alliance members including Air Canada, Ethiopian, Lufthansa and United.

Only five of Italy’s 38 commercial service airports lack international air service.  Rome barely edges Milan in terms of total international flights – in fact, Rome only has seven more daily international flights than Milan (note: all airports combined for both cities).  Venice ranks third, followed by Bologna, Pisa and Florence.

The remaining cast of characters providing international air service from Italy is quite large – an incredible 141 airlines offer international flights, connecting Italy nonstop with far-reaching destinations on every continent except Australia.  Routes including Rome – Monterrey, Mexico; Venice – Philadelphia, USA; and Pisa – Helsinki, Finland are available to travelers.  Of course, such exotic destinations are certainly a key element of any compelling soap opera!

Future of Italian Air Service
As is the case with any soap opera plot, loss is part of life.  Two European countries experienced the painful loss of their flag carriers earlier this decade – Switzerland lost Swissair and Belgium lost Sabena.  New carriers have since grown up in their places, but the mystique of the patriarchic carrier has been forever lost.

Now that we’ve met the major characters, we turn to the next chapter of air service in Italy.  Will Alitalia be able to weather its current financial crisis or will it be the next long-time European carrier to fold?  Will Air One and Alitalia merge?  Will Air France-KLM purchase a stake in Alitalia?  Or will Russian-based Aeroflot be the winning suitor?  Drama continues in Italy’s airports, as well.  In late 2007 it was announced that Rome Viterbo Airport would become the city’s third commercial airport.  Located approximately 30 miles from the center of Rome, it will no doubt be of interest to low-cost carrier Ryanair which famously seeks any and all cost advantages.

Stay tuned for the drama that will undoubtedly continue in the unique Italian market.

Source: Official Airline Guide (OAG) Schedule Tapes for September 2008; rankings based on flight departures of scheduled commercial service; does not include charter operations

OAG contributor Laura Jackson was just two weeks old when she took her first flight on Piedmont Airlines.  In junior high school, she developed a business plan for her own airline.  Today she manages strategy and policy issues at one of the world's busiest airports and provides original content and aviation industry analysis for OAG.