Unions voted down recapitalisation plan [Merged future of Alitalia thread]
Aug 29, 2017, 8:40 am
#391
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New York City
Posts: 186
I've read the above reports on service lapses with interest. Anybody heard any reports about food quality going down recently in business class? We're flying business JFK-FCO in a week and wondering what to expect.
Aug 29, 2017, 9:01 am
#392
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NYC
Posts: 427
Keep your expectations low and you just might be pleasantly surprised!
Aug 29, 2017, 10:42 am
#393
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Location: Netherlands
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Aug 30, 2017, 4:43 am
#394
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Rome
Programs: Alitalia MilleMiglia
Posts: 118
I hate to say it, but my last few experiences on Alitalia, particularly of their on-board service, has been pretty appalling. They're clearly is an atmosphere of "can't give a damn" amongst a lot of the crew, which in the current circumstances probably understandable, but isn't doing much for their image. Chatting to one of the crew on a recent flight to Malta, he was telling me that he has applied to join Norwegian as they will shortly begin flying long haul from Rome and he feels he has zero job security with Alitalia. He said he knew a further five or six cabin crew who were doing the same.
Aug 30, 2017, 7:15 am
#397
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Milano-London
Programs: ITA Executive
Posts: 165
So? Anything to report? (I'm flying out of LIN in a couple of weeks and hope to sample the new improved lounge, if it's open by then...)
Aug 30, 2017, 8:35 am
#398
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
G
Aug 30, 2017, 12:49 pm
#400
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Paris
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While these days they're all called Casa Alitalia, the only lounges which have actually been refurbished for that purpose are -
Casa Alitalia Rome (former Giotto, T3, concourse E, non-Schengen, old wing, via people mover)
Casa Alitalia Milan-Malpensa
That said, below I'm listing the remaining AZ lounges in their main hub of FCO:
Dolce Vita | T1, land-side
Borromini | T1, Schengen, pier D (first floor via escalator just as you approach gate D1)
Le Navi | T3, non-Schengen, concourse E (new wing)
Any doubts, let me know.
P.S.: I'm flying via LIN tomorrow and will see whether the main lounge (currently closed) has been properly refurbished to Casa Alitalia standards.
G
Casa Alitalia Rome (former Giotto, T3, concourse E, non-Schengen, old wing, via people mover)
Casa Alitalia Milan-Malpensa
That said, below I'm listing the remaining AZ lounges in their main hub of FCO:
Dolce Vita | T1, land-side
Borromini | T1, Schengen, pier D (first floor via escalator just as you approach gate D1)
Le Navi | T3, non-Schengen, concourse E (new wing)
Any doubts, let me know.
P.S.: I'm flying via LIN tomorrow and will see whether the main lounge (currently closed) has been properly refurbished to Casa Alitalia standards.
G
Sep 4, 2017, 2:59 am
#402
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Originally Posted by Bloomberg
Ryanair Holdings Plc plans to bid for Alitalia SpA, which has filed for bankruptcy, and will keep the Italian company intact if it’s successful, according to Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary.
Europe’s biggest discount airline is prepared to take over Alitalia’s long-haul arm as well as a short-haul unit that parallels its own operations, O’Leary said Thursday. Most of the Rome-based company’s fleet would be retained, together with pilots and engineering staff, and its name would also survive.
“Alitalia struggles to make money but it’s still a very good brand in Italy,” the CEO said. “The jets are all leased, so we would want those leases, but we would want the bankruptcy administrator to restructure them.”
<snip>
Alitalia’s long-haul operations, served by Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s, could expand under Ryanair, especially to North America, O’Leary said. Following its bankruptcy Alitalia should be freed from a penalty of about 200 million euros ($235 million) for adding more U.S. routes that’s tied to its membership of the SkyTeam alliance alongside former shareholder Air France-KLM Group, he said.
<snip>
O’Leary said last week that the “transparent” handling of Alitalia’s bankruptcy filing contrasts with the situation surrounding insolvent Air Berlin Plc. Ryanair is interested in the German company too, but expects it to be handed to Deutsche Lufthansa AG in a local “carve up,” he said.
Europe’s biggest discount airline is prepared to take over Alitalia’s long-haul arm as well as a short-haul unit that parallels its own operations, O’Leary said Thursday. Most of the Rome-based company’s fleet would be retained, together with pilots and engineering staff, and its name would also survive.
“Alitalia struggles to make money but it’s still a very good brand in Italy,” the CEO said. “The jets are all leased, so we would want those leases, but we would want the bankruptcy administrator to restructure them.”
<snip>
Alitalia’s long-haul operations, served by Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s, could expand under Ryanair, especially to North America, O’Leary said. Following its bankruptcy Alitalia should be freed from a penalty of about 200 million euros ($235 million) for adding more U.S. routes that’s tied to its membership of the SkyTeam alliance alongside former shareholder Air France-KLM Group, he said.
<snip>
O’Leary said last week that the “transparent” handling of Alitalia’s bankruptcy filing contrasts with the situation surrounding insolvent Air Berlin Plc. Ryanair is interested in the German company too, but expects it to be handed to Deutsche Lufthansa AG in a local “carve up,” he said.
It is remarkable how quickly things are falling apart over at airberlin - most of the oneworld partners have now cut all earning/burining on airberlin just as topbonus has stopped such activities - and the schedule is coming unstuck.
If we had been told at the start of the year that both AZ and AB would enter administration/insolvency this year after EY withdrew backing, and one proceeded serenely while the other spiralled out of control, how many would have picked AZ for the serene path???
Ryanair have also apparently withdrawn from the AB process, so it seems that there will be at least one decent (I know, I know - some people will recoil from any Ryanair offer, if only just because it's Ryanair) offer for AZ. The prospect of US expansion is also quite exciting - so long as AZ can sign a deal with airlines like jetblue, Alaska Airlines or Westjet to enhance coverage in North America. [As a member of the SkyTeam TATL JV, AZ cannot open routes without the consent and agreement of DL and AFKL - a huge impediment and one that Etihad were frustrated by]
Sep 4, 2017, 3:33 am
#403
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This Swiss website quotes Il Messaggero as saying that Delta, AFKLM and British Airways (presumably meant as IAG) re no longer interested in making an offer for AZ.
As well as Ryanair, Easyjet and Lufthansa - though noting that the latter is now pre-occupied with the AB crisis [offers for AB are due by September 15 apparently, via other sources], a number of private equity firms are interested. Greybull (owners of Monarch) as previously mentioned, but also Cerberus Capital of the US, and Elliott (known in Italy; they arranged the sale of AC Milan to Chinese investors) are expected to make bids.
Three ground-handling companies are also interested - Airport Handling, Airport Service und Alisud. Unsurprisingly, they only appear interested in the ground handling parts of Alitalia.
These appear to be the only 9 interested parties.
Originally Posted by travelnews.ch
Die Alitalia-Partner Air France-KLM und Delta Air Lines, aber auch British Airways, sollen dagegen laut «Il Messaggero» nicht mehr im Rennen sein.
Three ground-handling companies are also interested - Airport Handling, Airport Service und Alisud. Unsurprisingly, they only appear interested in the ground handling parts of Alitalia.
These appear to be the only 9 interested parties.
Sep 4, 2017, 9:26 am
#405
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Paris, France
Programs: Flying Blue Gold
Posts: 760
I don't know Mr Lazzerini but it seems to me that leaving a safe job at Emirates to enter Alitalia is a sign that AZ shall survive.
Elliott Capital is a vulture fund known for buying bankrupt companies and turning them around before re-selling for a (very sweet) profit. I can see them entering AZ - it will be hell for unions.
I still have tickets for late November. I do have a back-up plan but it involves some extra money. Looking anxiously at how things evolve.
Elliott Capital is a vulture fund known for buying bankrupt companies and turning them around before re-selling for a (very sweet) profit. I can see them entering AZ - it will be hell for unions.
I still have tickets for late November. I do have a back-up plan but it involves some extra money. Looking anxiously at how things evolve.