« We will continue to monitor the flight situation continuously and beyond, asking the companies to make every effort to guarantee more flights and acceptable fares. The structural problem of air continuity services remains and which derives from the decision taken at the time by the European Commission to prevent the setting of a ceiling for the non-resident tariff and to compress downwards the estimates of resident traffic volumes".
This was stated by the regional councilor for Transport, Antonio Moro, at the end of the meeting of the Joint Committee for monitoring territorial continuity which was held this morning to address the critical issues recorded in recent weeks, especially the shortage of flights and a series of reported disruptions by passengers.
The airport where the greatest inconvenience has been recorded remains that of Cagliari, which has achieved and continues to achieve occupancy coefficients above the 91% threshold, beyond which the contract establishes the scheduling of the additional flight. In particular on the Fiumicino-Cagliari route, 91% of the load factor was exceeded in 14 days of June, while in the first 23 days of July, this threshold was exceeded for no less than 15 days. On Linate-Cagliari, last June, over 91% was flown for 15 days and in the first 23 days of July, flights were flown with over 91% of load factor for 20 days. The days above the threshold at the airports of Alghero and Olbia are more limited, with a maximum of ten days out of 23 in the month of July on the Linate-Alghero route.
«The Ita company – explains councilor Moro – confirmed the increase in daily flights for July and August on the routes to and from Milan with a schedule that includes 6 total flights, compared to the 4 established in the call for continuity, while in the another connection managed exclusively by Italy, Alghero-Milan and vice versa, there are 3 flights, compared to the two indicated in the European tender. There are still 7 Ita connections on the Cagliari-Rome route but aircraft with higher unit capacity will be used on this route: an overall additional flight seat offer is estimated to be around a thousand more seats for the month of August , without prejudice to the commitment to increase further the number of flights, compatibly with the company's capabilities".
Aeroitalia, reports the Region, «has confirmed the positioning of an aircraft at the Costa Smeralda airport to be used to guarantee additional flights in both airports in the north of the island. The company that operates continuously from and to Olbia with Rome and Milan and on the Alghero-Rome route has confirmed its commitment to improving the call center service also by making use of external companies and has also announced the imminent conclusion of the authorization procedures for the 'embarkation of the stretchers'.
«At my express request – the councilor for Transport informs us – the companies have agreed to communicate the maximum non-resident rate envisaged for the month of August. Aeroitalia, by virtue of the friendship pact signed at the time with the Region, has confirmed that the amount of 200 euros per ticket plus airport taxes will not be exceeded. Ita communicated that the maximum amount for a return ticket on the Fiumicino-Cagliari route is 500 euros, while on the Linate-Cagliari route it is 600 euros. Volotea has communicated the maximum non-resident amount, one way, on the Olbia-Rome route: 154 euros, taxes included with the exclusion of baggage".
(Unioneonline/D)
