ALITALIA : AZ : AZA

A large part of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]'s retired fleet of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] MD-80s is being offered for sale by administrators for the Italian carrier's former assets.

The administrators are seeking formal expressions of interest for up to 22 aircraft.

The tender comprises four lots: one with 10 aircraft and three with four aircraft each.
Administrators have set an 8 April deadline for interested parties to submit offers for the twinjets.

The aircraft are part of the former Alitalia fleet that was discarded when the airline was restructured and emerged under new ownership last year.

In the tender document the administrators say that the aircraft will be sold "for the highest consideration offered" as long as this is not lower than their appraisal value.

The MD-80s are the only aircraft unsold from the original 46-aircraft fleet.

Last year Brassbox acquired 14 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] ERJ-145s from the administrators, to be operated by Ukrainian airline Dniproavia.

Tulsa-based charter operator Omni Air International acquired two [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-300ERs, while California lessor Magellan Aviation acquired four ATR 72-210s and Danish lessor Nordic Aviation Capital purchased four ATR72-500s.

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Alitalia, Air One align to expand, dominate in Milan

Alitalia Group intends to strengthen its position at both Milan Linate and Malpensa with a three-year development plan calling for a "dual-brand and customer hub model" at MXP, including a repositioning of Air One as a Smart Carrier offering low fares on short-/medium-haul routes while reinforcing the Alitalia brand and offering on intercontinental flights.
AZ will base two new A330s featuring its new business class at Malpensa and launch flights to Miami in June, adding to its current five intercontinental destinations.
The three-year plan confirms the group's intention "to maintain its dominant position in the Milan market with new offerings, articulated on the basis of different demand profiles and strongly oriented towards growth," it said. The company is aiming to grow passenger traffic at both Milan airports from 6.9 million in 2009 to 9 million in 2012 and increase the number of destinations from 39 to 47.
At Linate, it foresees an 11% rise in passengers to 6 million in 2012 and at MXP it plans to double passengers to 3 million in 2012, with 20% of that growth this year. Destinations will lift from 20 to 32 and the number of flights will increase nearly 50% from 16,770 in 2009 to almost 25,000 in 2012.
From MXP, the group "will offer a thoroughly renewed product, tailored both to the business and leisure passenger, according to a dual brand and customer hub model, with the possibility for the customer to create, within the same airport, the ideal combination of flights, fares and connections." It added that the approach will start March 28 with "inauguration of the new Smart Carrier Air One flights from the Malpensa hub to 14 destinations in Italy and the Mediterranean basin." In 2011, Air One plans to start service to 10 new international destinations including Munich, Warsaw, Budapest, Istanbul and Sofia.
While Air One will offer flights at "particularly advantageous fares" starting at €25 ($34.30) to domestic destinations and €70 for international, passengers "will not have to forgo the advantages offered by traditional companies," it said. AZ emphasized that "differently from low-cost companies, Air One will in fact provide, without additional cost, seating assignment, baggage transport, MilleMiglia miles and airport check-in." Its new business model from MXP also will allow passengers to buy tickets both directly through the Internet or dedicated call centers and indirectly through travel agencies.

Noting that 2009 was marked by the "extraordinary circumstances" surrounding its re-launch as a private carrier, the integration with Air One and a "thorough reorganization of company procedures, commercial policies, industrial organization and network layout," Alitalia Group closed the year with a net loss of €326 million ($434.3 million) on revenue of €2.92 billion.

Operating loss came in at €274 million, of which €273 million accrued in the first half [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The company said results met expectations and are consistent with the aim of breaking even in 2011.

"That Alitalia, in its first very delicate year of re-launching, contained the effects of the crisis better than many of its competitors strengthens my conviction that the industrial project is of absolute quality, and that the challenge taken by Alitalia shareholders is of great entrepreneurial value," President Roberto Colaninno said.

"The company has overcome an extremely difficult year," CEO Rocco Sabelli commented. "In facing an equally critical 2010, the commitment of the people at Alitalia and the trust of its customers will continue to be our most important assets."

AZ carried 21.8 million passengers in 2009 and load factor averaged 65%, with a 59% load factor in the first half and a much improved 71% in the second half. It did not provide detailed figures but said revenue per passenger increased 5.7% from the first half to the second half. It claimed its domestic market share reached 53% in January 2010, "higher than the total share held by Alitalia and Air One in 2008."

AZ's feet comprised 157 aircraft at the end of 2009, including nine new A320s. It will pursue its fleet renewal plan with more new A320s and A330s.
The latter will be based at Milan Malpensa and fitted with the new business class and premium economy class cabins.

It said its main goals for 2010 are "increasing revenues and the number of passengers, despite a market outlook that is still bleak, and reducing operative losses, despite a rising trend in the cost of fuel."

Alitalia: pas de vente prévue pour l'instant à Air France

MILAN (Italie), 21 mai 2010 (AFP)La question de la vente d'Alitalia à Air France-KLM n'est pas à l'ordre du jour, a affirmé vendredi le directeur général de la compagnie italienne, Rocco Sabelli, dans un entretien au quotidien économique Il Sole 24 ore.

SEVRIEN a écrit:AF / KLM ?

Pas vraiment en mode "Mine's bigger than yours" à l'heure actuelle.

Les choses sont "à la baisse" en ce moment, ... mais il semblerait que la Direction prévoie que "cela remonte" en 2010 ! [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]

Alitalia is 'Magnifica' with new A330 business class

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Alitalia has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330, a -200 that features the carrier's new 'Magnifica' business class (pictured above); 'Classica Plus' premium economy-class, and 'Classica' economy-class (Classica sounds so much nicer than coach or steerage, doesn't it?).

A reconfiguration program of the Boeing 777 fleet is also planned "which will lead a harmonization of the entire Alitalia intercontinental fleet", says the carrier.

Key features of each cabin courtesy of Alitalia press statement:

The new "Magnifica" (28 seats)

• New leather seats, "full flat" which extend into a fully flat bed position, with a massage function and anindividual 15.4-inch screen with an individual "privacy" device which allows only the passenger occupying the seat to view.
• Provision of 1-2-1 seats designed for those travelling individually or in pairs, on "honeymoon" seats.
• 12 audio channels and over 40 films available in up to 8 different languages and the possibility to download multimedia contents with a USB device.
• Wide selection of documentaries, sitcoms, video games. Cartoons and TV series for younger passengers.
• Ability to change the cabin lighting system with varying intensity and colour of lights depending on the time period of the journey, designed to provide a relaxing environment and facilitate moments of rest.
• "Landscape camera" which allows for live viewing outside the aircraft.
• "Noise reduction" headsets to ensure optimal listening and guaranteeing audio sound isolation from background noise during cruise level.
• Night amenity kits, with duvets and 'Frette' pillows. Cutlery and glasses designed by Richard Ginori.
• "Culti" wellbeing amenity kits with exclusive products for personal care.
• Menus with specialities of regional traditional Italian cuisine, prepared with fresh products DOP and IGP prepared by internationally renowned Italian chefs and accompanied by wines chosen by the Association of Italian Sommeliers.

The new "Classica Plus" (21 seats)

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• Dedicated cabin with 21 'Recaro designed' seats, arranged in three rows, reclining up to 120 degrees and 20% wider than the economy class seats.
• 96.5 cm of space between the seats, about 25% more than economy class.
• Removable foot rest, adjustable height and angle leather headrest.[url=http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/runway-girl/Alitalia A330-200 Classica Plus1.JPG][/url]
• Individual 10.6-inch screens with an "on demand" entertainment system.
• "Noise Reduction" headsets.
• The seats are equipped with USB port for viewing your digital content or to charge the battery in your computer or electronic device.
• "Culti" wellbeing amenity kits with exclusive products for personal care.

Classica Plus passengers are offered priority check-in and boarding at the airport, double award miles compared to economy class passengers; welcome drink and hot towel on board before the main service and increased baggage allowance for North America.

"Classica", the new Alitalia economy class (175 seats)

• ergonomic reclining seats up to 110 degrees, with 9-inch screens and an individual "on demand" entertainment system.
• "Frette" designed blankets.
• One or more hot meals and sweet or savoury snacks depending on the destination.
• Hot and cold drinks as well as a selection of wines from the best Italian wine cellars.

All the seats in the three classes of travel have an individual telephone with an extendable keyboard.

Embraer sees a strong opportunity to win orders from Alitalia for the E-190, once the Italian carrier completes its assessment of the type against Bombardier's CRJ900/1000 and the Sukhoi Superjet 100.
"Alitalia is under a lot of pressure to look maybe with different eyes due to the association of the Italians with Sukhoi, but it's not a given that they will go for this solution," says Embraer executive vice-president for the airline market Paulo Cesar Silva.
"I think they will buy - at the end - the most efficient aircraft and we believe the E-Jets are the most efficient ones available out there."Alitalia wants to replace its current fleet of 10 Bombardier CRJ900s and six Embraer E-170s.

The Italian airline is to choose within weeks between the Superjet 100, CRJ900/1000 or the E-190.
"The invitation [from Alitalia indicated] that they are very keen to look at all available options, but they want to have an efficient airline and therefore they must have an efficient fleet and so I think they will do a very deep assessment on the alternatives they have in the market," says Cesar Silva.
Embraer's recent win of some key E-Jet orders underscores the market's continued attraction to the aircraft family, says the Embraer executive."Flybe was a very important order because Flybe is the largest operator of the [Bombardier] Q400 turboprop.

They also operate the E-195. They did an assessment of the E-175 and the Q400 and they concluded that the E-175 is very efficient for the mission that they assessed. That sent a quite strong message to the market," he says.
"Another strong message is the order made by Steven Udvar-Hazy [with a letter of intent for 10 E-190s]. We're seeing a situation where there is a lot of discussion about re-engining of narrowbodies, the [Bombardier] CSeries, and aircraft coming from the Russians, the Japanese and the Chinese, and then we have a leasing company, Air Lease Corp, buying the E-190. This is also a very strong indication of the popularity and the efficiency of the E-190."

Embraer Wins Alitalia Bidding

Alitalia has opted to buy Embraer regional jets in the competition to modernize and consolidate the airline’s RJ fleet, industry officials say.
The airline’s board of directors has authorized management to sign a preliminary agreement covering the lease of a combination of 14 Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets.
Alitalia already operates six 170s, which appears to have bolstered the aircraft maker’s position in competition over Bombardier and Sukhoi since the airline has a medium-term target to grow its fleet to 20 aircraft. Later expansion to 27 units is possible.
The ten Bombardier CRJ900s also currently in service at the carrier are to be gradually retired as the new E-Jets arrive.
According to industrial sources, the airline’s management rated the Embraer proposal as the best one, with the Sukhoi Superjet 100 coming second. The Russian bid came with aggressive financial terms to secure Alitalia as the first big-name European costumer. But management shied away in part because the Superjet 100 remains to be certified; Embraer also benefitted from the positive experience the airline has had with the 170s now in service.
Bombardier, offering the CRJ900NG/1000, came last.

Jeannot a écrit:Alitalia choisit Embraer et va mettre en ligne 14 E170/190 supplémentaires

Embraer Wins Alitalia Bidding

Alitalia has opted to buy Embraer regional jets in the competition to modernize and consolidate the airline’s RJ fleet, industry officials say.
The airline’s board of directors has authorized management to sign a preliminary agreement covering the lease of a combination of 14 Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets.
Alitalia already operates six 170s, which appears to have bolstered the aircraft maker’s position in competition over Bombardier and Sukhoi since the airline has a medium-term target to grow its fleet to 20 aircraft. Later expansion to 27 units is possible.
The ten Bombardier CRJ900s also currently in service at the carrier are to be gradually retired as the new E-Jets arrive.
According to industrial sources, the airline’s management rated the Embraer proposal as the best one, with the Sukhoi Superjet 100 coming second. The Russian bid came with aggressive financial terms to secure Alitalia as the first big-name European costumer. But management shied away in part because the Superjet 100 remains to be certified; Embraer also benefitted from the positive experience the airline has had with the 170s now in service.
Bombardier, offering the CRJ900NG/1000, came last.

[url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/awx/2010/12/17/awx_12_17_2010_p0-278089.xml&headline=Embraer Wins Alitalia Bidding][Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] Wins Alitalia Bidding[/url]

DayAfter a écrit:Merci Jeannot

Pas une bonne nouvelle pour le Sukhoi.

Pas une surprise pour le Cseries, vu d'ici...

Mais, ... bonne nouvelle pour Embraer, dont ces avions semblent prolonger leur réussite !

Alitalia renewing customer service image, fleet in 2011

Alitalia executives said the airline is putting its troubled past behind and is starting off 2011 by continuing to improve its customer service image and renewing its aging fleet.
It is also targeting at least 10% passenger growth this year, Executive VP and COO Giancarlo Schisano told ATW on his visit to Cairo for the release of AZ’s first Boeing 777-200ER, which was undergoing a C check at the Egyptair Maintenance & Engineering base. He said the airline will decide this year if it will replace its six 767-300ERs with 777s or Airbus A330s.
Schisano said the 2004-2008 period that saw the carrier's near-death and rebirth was "very dramatic." But since then AZ has "renewed everything," including setting a higher standard for customer service. "Our goal is to rebuild … our image," he said. Last year, the carrier posted 12% passenger growth and is targeting at least 10% growth in 2011. "Passenger numbers, reliability, load factors and image are improving," Schisano said. AZ transports around 23 million passengers annually.
He said that after a massive fleet reduction, the carrier now operates a young fleet in Europe. AZ operates 4,500 weekly flights. "The average age [of the fleet] has been reduced from 17 years down to 10," Schisano noted. AZ phased out around 60 MD-80s, with just 19 of this type left in the fleet. "Our current fleet, for example, includes 90 new or fully renewed A320 family aircraft. With the introduction of five more A319s, and completing the current delivery of 10 A330-200s, the average age goes below 10 years," he said.
The A330 deliveries will be completed by the end of 2012; three aircraft will join the fleet in 2011, the remaining four next year. Schisano said a regional fleet upgrade is also in progress, noting that AZ will next year phase out six Embraer E-170s and 10 Bombardier CRJ900s while adding five E-190s and 15 E-175s.

Alitalia, Meridiana Fly Are in Merger Talks, Messaggero Reports

Alitalia SpA and Meridiana Fly SpA are discussing a merger, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] reported, without saying how it got the information.
Talks have been in progress for a “few months,” the newspaper said, adding that the airlines’ boards have yet to make a decision about combining.
A merger may take place through a share swap and give the Aga Khan, who controls Meridiana, between 5 percent and 7 percent of Alitalia, according to Messaggero. That would correspond to a valuation of Meridiana of about 100 million euros ($135 million), the paper said.

Meridiana Fly Considering Merger

Meridiana Fly, the airline born from the merger of Meridiana and Eurofly one year ago, is becoming the potential prey of either Alitalia or Lufthansa.
Meridiana, which is listed at the Milan stock exchange, has formally denied that any decision has been taken, but has confirmed that discussions are ongoing. The strategy is consistent with the course CEO Massimo Chieli, who has been steering the privately owned airline since May 2010, has been on while discussing commercial or strategic alliances or integration with other groups. This is also in line with the current consolidation trend of medium-sized airlines.
The Chieli approach has brought some improvement; results at the end of September showed not a revenue jump to almost €500 million ($674.9 million) in the first nine months of the year, with 3.7 million passengers carried. The final financial result was still in the red by €16 million and both the EBIT and the EBITDA remained negative.
The company during this time spun off its maintenance division, creating Meridiana Maintenance, and Chieli last month announced further reductions are coming to employee numbers, perhaps as many has 910 cuts to its 2,032 workforce.
The airline also is looking to outsource any activities not deemed as part of its core business, and may also see a fleet rationalization. Meridiana Fly has a fleet of 35 aircraft, including 17 Boeing MD-82s, 2 ATR-72s, 4 Airbus A319s, 9 A320s and 3 A330s. All the aircraft are leased, except for 10 MD-82s.
Chieli wants to reduce the MD-80 fleet during the year because these aircraft have fairly high operating costs, eventually eliminating them from the fleet. It also is possible the airline will standardize its Airbus types or introduce a more efficient regional jet, but those decisions are unlikely to be taken at this time.
Meridiana Fly also has an unusual business model, operating scheduled flights in Italy and nearby European countries, plus some long-range routes and charters.
And while the new Meridiana Fly is improving its performance and holds valuable slots in Milan, it is still carrying almost €200 million worth of debt.
The airline has a 16% share of the Italian domestic traffic, and would be a great asset for Lufthansa, which has already a strong foothold in Italy with the fully owned Air Dolomiti and Lufthansa Italia. The latter so far has brought mixed results. This is one of the reasons why Lufthansa has replaced its Italian boss, Heike Birlenbach, with Air Dolomiti CEO Michael Kraus.
A merger with Lufthansa would create a real competitive threat to Alitalia, which is controlling no more than 50% of the domestic market, contrary to what is the case for Lufthansa or Air France/KLM in their own domestic markets.
Alitalia in the past has attempted to acquire Meridiana, the first time in 2003 and again in 2008. But because Meridiana Fly is traded and controlled by the Aga Khan through Meridiana Company, which owns 79%, such a deal would be complex—the Aga Khan in order to sell the control would need to de-list Meridiana Fly after first acquiring its traded shares.

• Contrat ferme entre Embraer et Alitalia !
  

Brazil's Embraer will deliver 20 jets to Italian airline Alitalia under a new deal, Embraer said on Monday in a statement.

The deal includes 15 Embraer 175 jets and five Embraer 190s, with delivery beginning in the third quarter.

The planes will replace current aircraft and help update Alitalia's fleet, Embraer said, helping boost the number of flights available for short- and medium-haul flights.

In December, Alitalia dropped Russian plane maker Sukhoi for a possible USD$500 million regional jet order, saying it could wait no longer for Sukhoi's delayed new Superjet 100 and would opt for planes from Embraer instead.

(Reuters)