Italian carrier ITA seeks to acquire ‘essential’ Alitalia brand ahead of launch

New Italian carrier ITA is set to bid for the Alitalia brand name through a public tender, as the airline prepares to commence operations in mid-October. ITA will start services with a fleet of 52 aircraft when it begins flights, rising to 78 in 2022. The new carrier aims to reach 105 aircraft by 2025 under a five-year plan approved by its board. While it has been created under the name Italia Trasporto Aereo, the company says it will “participate” in the tender to acquire the Alitalia name. “[We] believe that this brand is an essential element for the plan,” says ITA. ITA has been cleared to proceed to operations, following the conclusion of discussions between the Italian government and the EC which have spanned the last few months. The new carrier will be permitted to acquire assets from the flight division of Alitalia, and it will contract maintenance and handling activities through public tenders. “Over the plan period, ITA plans to rely on a single strategic partner for aircraft, and discussions are underway with the main partners,” it says, adding that “new generation” aircraft will be added to the fleet from 2022.<br/>