Alitalia to add flights as virus restrictions ease

Alitalia said Wednesday it would increase its flights by 36% next month as countries ease coronavirus travel restrictions. The Italian airline, which is set to be nationalised, plans to resume on June 2 flights between Rome and New York as well as certain flights to Spain. Along with some additional domestic flights, it will represent a 36 percent increase in operations from May and mean the airline is operating 30 flights between 25 airports, including 10 abroad. From July it plans to be operating at about 40% of its level it planned before the coronavirus crisis hit. "Flight offering will increase according to the trend in demand, which is already recovering on some domestic routes, and benefiting from the progressive abolition by foreign countries of restrictions on flights and passengers from Italy" as well as relaxed measures Italy is imposing on inbound travellers, it said. Alitalia said did not cut back its flight schedule as much as some rivals in order to maintain essential services.<br/>