Why does flying from Rome to Cagliari cost more than the reverse route? And why if the tenders talk about a price for tickets in continuity then, at the purchase, the sums are much higher? How does the system work?
An answer is attempted by the regional councilor for Transport Barbara Manca, who illustrates the various items that contribute to inflating the actual fare paid by all Sardinians every time they want to travel from Sardinia by plane. To understand: the basic cost of a Cagliari-Rome flight, agreed with Aeroitalia, would be 48 euros. More than 65 are paid per person. In addition, increases have been recorded compared to the previous regime.
Here is the councilor's schematic explanation.
By purchasing a ticket with territorial continuity you are entitled to reach the airports of Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate from the airports of Cagliari, Alghero and Olbia, carrying a large hold bag (23 kg) and two smaller ones in the cabin. You can change your ticket at any time, you have access to a dedicated call center and other services that are otherwise paid for.
But how much does a single flight cost?
Let's start from the basics, the cost comes from the sum of three items: reduced rate indicated by ministerial decree (DM 466/2021) + VAT + airport tax of the departure airport.
Here is the list of rates provided for by the Ministerial Decree, updated last spring by the Ministry at the beginning of the IATA summer season and calculated on the basis of the miles to be travelled:
Alghero-Rome Fiumicino or vice versa: 48.99 euros
Alghero-Milan Linate or vice versa: 59.04 euros
Cagliari-Rome Fiumicino or vice versa: 48.99 euros
Cagliari-Milan Linate or vice versa: 59.04 euros
Olbia-Rome Fiumicino or vice versa: 48.99 euros
Olbia-Milan Linate or vice versa: 59.04 euros
But then why don't return flights cost the same at the time of purchase? This is because while the rate set by DM remains unchanged for the outward or return journey, some of the items in the tax component vary from airport to airport. Among the items that make up the final rate of an airline ticket, all indicated with a specific acronym, there are in fact: security checks on hold baggage (EX), passenger and hand baggage checks (VT), airport management fees (IT), VAT on airport fees (FN), fuel cost adjustment (MJ) municipal surcharge (HB).
Let's take an example by extrapolating the data of a flight from Cagliari to Rome Fiumicino operated by Ita Airways on 24 October 2024 (same current fares):
CAGLIARI ELMAS-ROME FIUMICINO
- Rate provided by DM for a single route: 48 euros (0.99 euros discount offered by Ita Airways)
- security checks on hold baggage (EX): 1.12 euros
- passenger and hand luggage check (VT): 3.71 euros
- VAT on airport fee costs (10%) (FN): 1.61 euros
- airport management fees (IT): 4.55 euros
- Municipal surcharge (HB): 6.50 euros
- fuel cost adjustment (MJ): 0.19 euros.
TOTAL: 65.68 euros
Now let's analyze the costs of the return flight:
ROME FIUMICINO-CAGLIARI ELMAS
- Rate provided by DM for a single route: 48 euros (0.99 euros discount offered by Ita Airways)
- security checks on hold baggage (EX): 2.38 euros
- passenger and hand luggage check (VT): 7.01 euros
- VAT on airport fee costs (10%) (FN): 3.16 euros
- airport management fees (IT): 16.85 euros
- Municipal surcharge (HB): 7.50 euros
- fuel cost adjustment (MJ): 1.53 euros.
TOTAL: 82.72 euros
Finally, let's see what the final rates are:
Alghero-Rome Fiumicino (Ita Airways):
One way: 65.78 euros
Return: 81.91 euros
Alghero-Milan Linate (Ita Airways):
One way: 73.46 euros
Return: 83.26 euros
Cagliari-Rome Fiumicino (Aeroitalia):
One way: 65.85 euros
Return: 82.89 euros
Cagliari-Milan Linate (Aeroitalia):
One way: 75.73 euros
Return: 85.80 euros
Olbia-Rome Fiumicino (Volotea/Aeroitalia):
One way: 70.75 euros
Return: 82.89 euros
Olbia-Milan Linate (Aeroitalia):
One way: 80.63 euros
Return: 86.79 euros
This also explains why leaving Sardinia under a territorial continuity regime costs less than returning to the island under the same system: the airport taxes at Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino airports are much higher.
Regarding the question about the price increase, it should be noted that the new rates established by the ministerial decree were updated before the last summer season and have remained unchanged in the current one. This is a rate adjustment that did not come into force with the current tender, but was introduced by the Ministry of Transport last spring at the beginning of the IATA summer season.
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)