Pilots and cabin crew at Italian carrier Alitalia are planning to strike for 24 hours Sept. 22, triggering flight cancellations.
In a statement issued Sept. 20, Alitalia said it was implementing “special measures” during the walkout.
“The trade unions ANPAC, ANPAV and USB, representing some of the Alitalia pilots and flight attendants, have confirmed a 24-hour strike Sept. 22, despite cancellation of industrial action by the national unions FILT-CGIL, FIT-CISL, UIL Trasporti and UGL. As a consequence, Alitalia was forced to cancel many flights scheduled on Sept. 22,” Alitalia said.
The strike was originally scheduled for Sept. 6, but was deferred following the recent earthquake in Italy.
Alitalia has rebooked passengers, brought in extra staff at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate and set up special call center numbers in a bid to minimize disruption.
SkyTeam member Alitalia, which is 49% owned by Etihad Airways, flies to 27 domestic and 70 international destinations.
Alitalia in winter 2016/17 season is introducing service to Cuba, as the airline offers Rome – Havana service from 29NOV16. This route will be served twice a week on board Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.
Πάνω από ένα εκατομμύριο εισιτήρια διαθέτει η Alitalia σε τιμή προσφοράς με την “φθινοπωρινή της καμπάνια”. Με την παγκόσμια αυτή προωθητική ενέργεια, η Alitalia προσφέρει στους επιβάτες την ευκαιρία να ταξιδέψουν στην Ιταλία με ελκυστικές τιμές και να επωφεληθούν άνετων ανταποκρίσεων μέσω του αεροδρομίου Rome Fiumicino προς άλλες ιταλικές πόλεις ή διεθνείς προορισμούς.
Οι ειδικές τιμές των εισιτηρίων (τελική τιμή με χειραποσκευή) από Αθήνα για ιταλικούς προορισμούς ισχύουν για αγορές μέχρι τις 19 Σεπτεμβρίου και για ταξίδια μέχρι τις 15 Δεκεμβρίου 2016.
Τα μέλη του προγράμματος MilleMiglia έχουν την δυνατότητα να κερδίσουν μίλια σε όλους τους ναύλους της προσφοράς και όσοι επιλέξουν να αγοράσουν και να ταξιδέψουν στην Premium Economy ή στην Business Class θα λάβουν extra bonus 5.000 μιλίων.
Alitalia will grow its international route network in October and strengthen its Spanish presence with a new twice-weekly direct service between Rome and Tenerife.
The service, which starts on 30 October, will provide an excellent opportunity for Italians to enjoy winter sun as the Canary Islands enjoy a mild year-round climate. New Rome-Tenerife flights will be operated twice a week, with schedules designed to allow Alitalia passengers departing from various Italian and international cities to take advantage of connections at Rome Fiumicino airport, Alitalia’s hub, on their way to the Canaries.
Flights from Rome Fiumicino to Tenerife South airport will depart every Saturday and Sunday at 09.30 am, arriving at 1.15 pm local time. The return flight from Tenerife will take off at 2.05 pm local time, arriving in Rome at 7.30 pm. The service will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft with two classes of service, business and economy. Alitalia’s MilleMiglia members will be able to earn and redeem miles on the new flights.
Alitalia currently flies to eight Spanish destinations; Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, Bilbao and, during the summer period, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Minorca.
Alitalia began direct, non-stop flights from Rome to Beijing after a three year absence on the route between the two capital cities.
The inaugural flight was commentated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Fiumicino airport by Alitalia’s CEO Cramer Ball, the Heritage, Arts and Tourism Minister, Dario Franceschini, the Deputy Mayor of Fiumicino, Anna Maria Anselmi, and the Head of Aviation Marketing Development of Aeroporti di Roma, Fausto Palombelli.
Mr. Ball said:
“We have introduced a trio of new intercontinental routes from Rome in 2016 and today’s new service to Beijing joins the recently launched destinations of Santiago and Mexico City, an eight per cent increase in the number of our long haul flights we offer. Alitalia is committed totally to the Chinese market and wants to grow its presence in China. We are a different company than a few years ago: we have made major investments for enhancing products and services; we have put in place important commercial agreements with Chinese partners and we have a strong industrial partnership which supports us in this challenge.
The new service to the Chinese capital city is an important investment for Alitalia as part of our strategic growth to serve long haul destinations for the benefit of business and leisure travellers. Italian exports to China will have the opportunity to rise the air link should encourage the number of tourists from the Far East to Italy.”
The new route will be served four times a week – Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday – departing at 2.20 pm from Rome and landing in Beijing at 6.20 am (local time) the following day. The return flight departs from Beijing every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 9.15 am (local time) and arrives in Rome at 2.25 pm.
Flight times are scheduled to allow Alitalia passengers from 50 cities in Italy, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to travel to the Chinese capital by taking advantage of convenient connections at Rome Fiumicino, the airline’s main airport for transferring passengers (which obtained the ‘Welcome Chinese Certification’, the only hospitality standard recognized by Chinese authorities and specifically dedicated to Chinese travelers).
Travellers can also connect to many other cities across China from Beijing. Alitalia has special agreements with major Chinese airlines, including SkyTeam partners China Eastern and China Southern*, plus Hainan Airlines*, to serve more than 30 destinations throughout China.
The Airbus A330 aircraft used on the Rome-Beijing service has 250 seats in three cabins; business, premium economy and economy. All classes feature newly renovated interiors and include Wi-Fi connectivity for phone calls, internet and e-mail.
Companies doing business with China will also have the opportunity to send or receive goods more easily as the aircraft has a monthly cargo capacity of 300 tonnes. Alitalia’s Far East network from Rome includes 22 weekly services to and from Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul.
EI-DDH on final approach An Alitalia Boeing 777-200, registration EI-DDH performing flight AZ-785 from Tokyo Narita (Japan) to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), was enroute just step climbing from FL380 to FL400 over the Baltic Sea when the crew received indication of problems with the left hand engine (GE90), reduced the engine thrust and drifted down to FL220, however, continued the fliht towards Rome. About 105 minutes later, the aircraft was now enroute at FL220 about 25nm southwest of Prague (Czech Republic), the crew needed to shut the engine down and decided to divert to Munich (Germany), where the aircraft landed safely on runway 26R about 30 minutes after the decision to divert. A replacement Airbus A330-200 registration EI-EJO was dispatched to Munich, resumed the flight and is estimated to reach Rome with a delay of 5.5 hours.
Η προσφορά ισχύει για πτήσεις μετ'επιστροφής προς Ιταλία και συγκεκριμένα:
Αθήνα - Ρώμη από 90€ | Αθήνα - Μιλάνο από 132€ | Αθήνα - Φλωρεντία από 151€ Εξαιρούνται οι περίοδοι από 28 Οκτωβρίου μέχρι 01 Νοεμβρίου 2016, από 05 Δεκεμβρίου μέχρι 11 Δεκεμβρίου 2016 και από 18 Δεκεμβρίου 2016 μέχρι 08 Ιανουαρίου 2017.
Οι τιμές είναι τελικές και όλοι οι φόροι συμπεριλαμβάνονται. Οι ναύλοι ισχύουν μόνο με χειραποσκευή. Κρατήσεις έως 20.06.2016 Πτήσεις από 12.09.2016 έως 31.03.2017
Alitalia starting next month resumes service on Rome – Larnaca route, after 10 years of hiatus. The Skyteam member will be operating this route twice a week from 08JUN16 to 29SEP16, on board Airbus A320 aircraft. AZ last operated this route in July 2006.
Η προσφορά ισχύει για πτήσεις μετ'επιστροφής προς Ιταλία και συγκεκριμένα: Αθήνα - Ρώμη από 90€ | Αθήνα - Μιλάνο από 130€ | Αθήνα - Βενετία από 140€ Οι τιμές είναι τελικές και όλοι οι φόροι συμπεριλαμβάνονται. Οι ναύλοι ισχύουν μόνο με χειραποσκευή. Κρατήσεις έως 29.05.2016 Πτήσεις από 23.05.2016 έως 15.12.2016
Outlining the progress made in the eighteen months since the Emiratis bought a 49% stake in the Italian carrier, Hogan said the focus for the next year was no longer just to break even, but to turn an actual profit.
“What we’ve said, we’ve delivered. The plan for 2017 was to break even. The only adjustment to the plan has been the fact that we want to make money in 2017," he was quoted by The National newspaper.
Alitalia has set itself the target of increasing its load factors to more than 80% from the current 76%, which Hogan described as “a fundamental threshold for any pan-European and global airline for its domestic market".
To that end, the carrier has been analyzing several potential new routes and, in order to match capacity to its expansion plans, will add a new B777-200(ER) - ex-Vietnam Airlines (VN, Hanoi) airframe msn 28688 - to the fleet this year with the B777-300(ER) and an extra A330-200 to follow next year. Focus has been placed on markets in North and South America and the Far East, Hogan said.
“We have a view that Alitalia can go to forty long-haul aircraft," he added. “We have access to the aircraft through the partners – whether it is 787s, A350s or recycled A330s. We’ve already placed some aircraft in Alitalia, but we want to ensure we can feed the Italian hubs to improve the load factor and the quality."
Alitalia currently operates fourteen A330-200s (of which two are dry-leased from Etihad), and ten B777-200(ER)s.
Alitalia has revealed new crew uniforms as part of its re-branding initiative and a wider program to turn around the troubled airline, a program promoted by majority stakeholder Etihad Airways.
The new uniforms are a departure from the attractive but conservative blue and green suits crew have worn over the past years, recall the tailoring of earlier uniforms designed by Giorgio Armani, and clearly harmonize with the styling of Etihad’s new uniforms revealed last year.
Cramer Ball, Chief Executive Officer of Alitalia, said of the project, “We are introducing a new look which captures the spirit of Alitalia today as it continues on its journey of renewal and growth. Our aim was to create a stylish collection which would represent Italian excellence around the world. The new uniforms complement the renaissance of the Alitalia brand and the rejuvenation of its aircraft fleet and products for its customers.”
Designed by Milan based haute couturier Ettore Bilotta, the crew and staff uniforms are intended to communicate the airline’s new “Made of Italy” campaign.
Tailor-made by a team of 500 Italian couturiers, the uniform collection features fabrics made in Tuscany, and silk made in Como. The men’s uniforms were specially tailored in Puglia, and the accompanying leather accessories are also Italian, the gloves produced in Naples, and shoes made the Marche region.
Billotta took his inspiration from the golden age of Italian fashion in the 1950s and 1960s, also incorporating a sense of Italy’s heritage and culture. “It also celebrates the people of Alitalia, their professionalism, style and passion for the airline,” Alitalia says.
The new uniforms for crew and ground personnel, at all customer touch points, will be gradually introduced starting July of this year. The airline is also currently designing new uniforms for the airline’s flight crew and operational staff.
Alitalia also launched a new global brand campaign with the premiere of a television commercial which introduces a new brand message by reviving an old romance.
The clip features Alitalia staff as brand ambassadors and the sites and landscapes of cities the airline flies to around the world, as well as iconic images of Italy. The theme music is a new cover of the classic song “Volare” sung by award-winning Italian songstress Malika Ayane.
The campaign includes a series of short storytelling interviews with Alitalia partners involved in various phases of the brand’s restyling.
Alitalia plans to deploy the campaign on television and digital media.
Flying the Flag
Etihad CEO James Hogan described the transition for Alitalia from a legacy flagship carrier to a modern carrier flying the Italian flag, by saying that Alitalia has been a leading European airline to a leading International airline, based in Europe.
It’s a nuance, but an important one which reflects the Etihad Group’s strategy of playing on a global pitch, with a local flavor brand collection.
Alitalia means to make the most of its soft assets by promoting the vibrancy of the Italian culture which holds a historic place at the forefront of design, style, and the arts.
When Alitalia updated its livery, in 2015, the airline kept Walter Landor’s original ‘A’ from 1950, but commissioned the Landor firm to create a subtle design update which respected the legacy of the airline’s iconography.
Updates to the cabin interiors in 2015 were also a conservatively managed, respecting the economic realities of the airline.
The project of rebranding for Alitalia has been one of retaining the essence of the brand and fixing the operations in what is really a move to create a collection of viable ‘locally sourced’ international airline services brands.
The aesthetic updates of Alitalia’s livery, interiors and now uniforms, also reflect the effort of Etihad Airways to ensure a reasonably consistent passenger experience standard throughout its alliance through investment Etihad Group.
But Etihad Airways set the bar so high with its Reimagined program that it’s difficult to imagine any of its stake partners could make the same level of investment in time and money to match the Abu-Dhabi based airline’s product.
Instead, as the various stages of Alitalia’s rebranding program shows, the strategy has been to slowly redress rather than redefine.
All According to Plan
All of this is in the interest of progress, Alitalia and Etihad Group executives present emphasized during the event.
Playing on the style and elegance of Italy, its culture, cuisine and art, appeals to international travelers who will start their journey early onboard Alitalia, from the moment they are greeted by the first staff member at the airport, and onboard.
It also appeals to the Italian identity of domestic customers and employees, who are proud of their airline through good times and bad.
Etihad has helped make bad times better times by delivering both necessary capital and fresh management oversight with perspectives outside of the traditional Alitalia organization.
As a result, Alitalia has recently reported a significant reduction in losses of €381 Euros from €580 million in 2014 to €199.1 million for 2015.
While committed to ongoing cost control and efficiencies, Alitalia has announced a €400 million investment on improvements to be carried out between this year an 2020, which the company says will fortify the business and benefit customers.
The report from Alitalia’s C-Suite is that the airline is on track to recover and retain profitability under the new structure, and grab better control over key markets, including what James Hogan described as a critical corridor between Germany and Italy.
“Alitalia is regaining strength and controlling its destiny, working hard with quality partners to drive revenue,” said Alitalia’s Ball. “We are showing our customers that the new Alitalia stands for great service, quality and that it represents the best this great country has to offer. Our product, service and punctuality have changed to best-in-class and we are passionate about providing the highest levels of service and quality.”
Ball added, “We are the new smart choice in European air travel.”
Η Alitalia ξεκινά τη νέα Παγκόσμια καμπάνια Πωλήσεων του 2016
H Alitalia από τη Παρασκευή 15 Ιανουαρίου τρέχει, μια νέα παγκόσμια καμπάνια πωλήσεων σε 30 χώρες, προσφέροντας περισσότερες από 1 εκατομμύριο 360 χιλιάδες θέσεις σε τιμές προσφοράς για τις εσωτερικές και τις διεθνείς της πτήσεις.
Οι τιμές από Ελλάδα για Ιταλία ξεκινούν από €51 για ταξίδια απλής μετάβασης και για Ευρώπη από €89για ταξίδια απλής μετάβασης, συμπεριλαμβανομένων όλων των φόρων και τελών. Οι φιλοξενούμενοι της Alitalia μπορούν να επωφεληθούν τιμών προσφοράς στην Economy ή στην Business Class, σε Ευρωπαϊκά ή Υπερατλαντικά ταξίδια στο 2016.
Αεροπορικά εισιτήρια στις τιμές προσφοράς είναι διαθέσιμα προς πώληση μέχρι τις 02 Φεβρουαρίου.
Η παγκόσμια καμπάνια πωλήσεων του αερομεταφορέα θα υποστηρίζεται από διαφημιστική καμπάνια σε όλη την Ιταλία και σε αγορές του εξωτερικού.
Οι πτήσεις είναι διαθέσιμες προς άμεση πώληση στην ιστοσελίδα alitalia.com, μέσω του Ελληνικού Call Center της Alitalia (τηλ. 210.99.88.888), των εκδοτηρίων εισιτηρίων αεροδρομίου και των ταξιδιωτικών πρακτορείων.
Στο alitalia.com υπάρχει σελίδα με περισσότερες πληροφορίες και με λεπτομέρειες για την προσφορά, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των όρων και προϋποθέσεων της προσφοράς.
On December 5th, Alitalia welcomed its first new medium haul interior to match the new styling found in the airline’s long haul cabins. This starts the major cabin refurbishment of Alitalia’s short and medium fleet of 96 aircraft has begun with the project earmarked for completion by April next year.
On average four aircraft are going to be retrofitted per week, which will match the airline’s plans to repaint each of the aircraft in the new livery that was launched in June this year. The refurbishment work on each aircraft will take five days from start to finish and more than 14,000 black leather seats with elegant beige stitching will be fitted on board the Alitalia aircraft. Taking design cues from their new A330 interiors, each seat will have new coloured headrests – beige for business class and red for economy. Every plane will be fitted with new ‘wood effect’ bulkheads which will feature the distinctive Alitalia logo.
“The aim is give a greater feel of Italian style and quality on board the aircraft that will hopefully attract new customers and retain existing ones.” Marco Martinasso, Alitalia’s Vice President Marketing said.
“We have shifted from a typically technical type of refurbishment which relied more on functionality, airworthiness and acceptable aesthetics to a new focus on customers and higher levels of service. We want our customers to experience a higher degree of comfort by providing a much better standard of cabin.”
For those travelling on the long haul fleet will take solace in the news that Alitalia will have completely renovated the 777 and A330 fleet by the end of 2016, with currently six of the 24 aircraft in the fleet. Whist we loved the original light grey and green interiors of the short haul fleet, the new interiors follow the bold, bright and typically Italian style. The wooden bulkheads also offer a synergy with the long haul cabins, unifying the airline product.
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Alitalia passed the 
