Several dozen cancellations decided unilaterally and requests for schedule changes deemed unacceptable.
These are among the main critical issues in Aeroitalia's operations in covering routes in territorial continuity that led the regional councilor for Transport, Barbara Manca, to call an extraordinary meeting of the joint committee for monitoring air transport, attended by the Sardinian leaders of ENAC and representatives of the company.
"We have challenged Aeroitalia for this modus operandi which does not respect the objectives of territorial continuity of air traffic" , explained the councilor, "because it is not acceptable that cancellations and changes to flight schedules which are part of the structural offer of the continuity contract are communicated unilaterally by the carrier without the necessary authorization from the Region, with consequent serious inconvenience for passengers, and with little notice".
On this occasion, the regional services also contested some discrepancies with respect to the rules established by the decree regarding the transport of sports club equipment, the ban on surcharges and commissions even on "ancillary" (seats, additional luggage, etc.) for resident passengers and, finally, the long times for refunding the cost of tickets in the event of cancellation.
"We have established a constructive and collaborative dialogue with all airlines involved in territorial continuity," concluded Manca, "but we cannot tolerate violations of the contract that directly affect citizens' right to mobility. We are and will be very intransigent on this and we will monitor to protect the primary interest of the public service."
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)