Alitalia, Newco is born. Gualtieri: "Bases laid for the relaunch of air transport"

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10 October 2020The new company, which was born with the decree signed yesterday, will be called Alitalia Ita (Italy air transport spa).

A new name for Alitalia, born as Alitalia Lai and then renamed Alitalia Cai with the privatization of 2008, with the 'brave captains' and then became Alitalia Sai, with the arrival of the Etihad Arabs in 2014, then ended up in extraordinary administration in May 2017. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Paola De Micheli signed, on the proposal of the Minister of Economy Gualtieri, the Newco Constitution Decree for air transport, together with the Ministers Patuanelli and Catalfo.

"It will be ITAliana because it will have to bring Italy to the world, a new story has begun. The national airline is born that will have to play a leading role on the European and international market - writes the minister on the Facebook profile - An industrial operation at the service of the country, which will enhance Italian skills and professionalism, will support the competitiveness of our companies and tourism. An investment for a future with more Italy in the world ". 

It will be ITAliana because it will have to bring Italy to the world.

Today I signed the Decree of the new national airline.

An industrial operation at the service of the country, which will enhance Italian skills and professionalism, will support the competitiveness of businesses and tourism

- Paola De Micheli (@paola_demicheli) October 9, 2020

The establishment of the Newco Alitalia is only the beginning of a process that must have the objective of relaunching the company.

It will take 30 days for the decree to go to Parliament, after which the new industrial plan will have to be presented, which will have a time frame of five years.

Another fundamental and not obvious step will be the one that will see the company and the government committed to demonstrating to the European Commission that the new company has nothing in common with the 'old' Alitalia.

The watchword therefore is discontinuity.

If the process goes smoothly, according to CEO Fabio Lazzerini, the planes of the new airline will take off at the beginning of 2021. Brussels will soon have to pronounce on the 1.3 billion aid received from the company since 2017 when it was commissioner from the then Gentiloni government.

From what is whispered in the corridors of the Commission, the aid will be considered 'state', therefore illegitimate and to be returned.

But the burden will all fall on the old company which will become a sort of bad company.

The new company will instead end up with a budget of 3 billion, allocated by the government in the Relaunch decree.

The stalemate for the birth of Alitalia Tai (Italian air transport) lasted several months (as early as June the government had actually given the Newco constitution decree) due to the search for the names of the directors who 'satisfied' the forces of the majority of government.

And precisely to meet the needs of all parties, the Board of Directors has been enlarged from 7 to 9 members. Once on the helm station, the new Fabio Lazzerini and the president Francesco Caio will have to work on the industrial plan which provides, at least initially, about 90 aircraft and 6,500 employees.

Broadly speaking, the plan should focus on long-haul routes, particularly those to the US, the most profitable, Lazzerini said at a hearing in the House last month.

Furthermore, integration with FS will be strengthened.

Then there is the theme of alliances which, explained Lazzerini, "is certainly a fundamental hub of the industrial plan. The world of airlines is a world of alliances. It is difficult to remain alone, there are few companies that remain alone. It is difficult to think of being isolated in a global world.

The important thing is to enter into a partnership head on "because" alms do not lead to positive consequences for those who receive alms ".

On the theme "you have to be very secular and see what you put on the table, aware that the American routes are extremely important. Long haul means privileging the North American market which is an under-served and extremely profitable market where further expansion is needed . South America is to be preserved, we have to think about Asia and China while Japan is fine ".

In this sense, it should be noted that on Friday the Usaerospace reiterated its interest in entering into a partnership with the State and investing 1.5 billion dollars. 

The Board of Directors, in addition to Caio (chairman) and Lazzerini, is composed of the directors Alessandra Fratini, Angelo Piazza, Lelio Fornabaio, Frances Vyvyen Ouseley, Simonetta Giordani, Silvio Martuccelli and Cristina Girelli.

The board of statutory auditors is made up of Paolo Maria Ciabattoni, Giovanni Naccarato, Marina Scandurra, Gianfranco Buschini and Serena Gatteschi.

"Newco represents the first step towards the establishment of a quality carrier capable of competing on the international market. We lay the foundations for the relaunch of Italian air transport, through the choice of top-level managers and great competence able to develop and implement a solid and sustainable industrial plan ".

Economy minister Roberto Gualtieri says so.

The decree for the establishment of the newco for the #transportoaereo is signed.

A first step to create a quality carrier, capable of competing on the international market.

With top-level management, we lay the foundations for the relaunch of Italian air transport

- Roberto Gualtieri (@gualtierieurope) October 9, 2020

"The serious economic crisis caused by the pandemic allows us today to think about a concrete relaunch of our national airline. In a market context almost eliminated we have the possibility of allowing a serious national industrial development in the air transport sector ".

The Minister of Economic Development, Stefano Patuanelli writes on Facebook.

'We need a national airline to help Italy get back on track.

With the birth of the Newco we are facing an ambitious challenge, which must necessarily be won in order to equip the country with a competitive and qualified air carrier, which enhances the professionalism and skills that we have always expressed in this sector ''.

This was stated by the Minister of Labor, Nunzia Catalfo.

'' Finally a deadlock of months has been overcome, after the many strong requests we have made to politics so that the newco Alitalia was established ''.

The Secretary General, Claudio Tarlazzi, and the National Secretary, Ivan Viglietti, of Uiltrasporti underline this in a note.

'' Now, without wasting any further time, a control room is activated with the participation of the Commissioner, the top management of the newco, the competent ministries and the trade union, to coordinate the industrial and network choices preparatory to the departure of the new Alitalia.

The time has come - continue the two managers of Uiltrasporti - to work on the project of a real flag company, which will relaunch the sector and be a driving force for the country's economy, providing for the necessary investments in fleet, maintenance and handling that guarantee employment and restart ''.

'' At the same time, the right conditions must be created with regard to rules on the domestic market and international alliances, in the interest of Alitalia's 11 thousand workers, all those in the related industries and the country's economy '', conclude Tarlazzi and Viglietti .