"This is a short circuit we can't afford," says William Zonca, a member of the national secretariat of Uil Trasporti. The union representative is examining the current situation for the Cagliari-Milan route tomorrow and Monday: passengers must be on a waiting list to reach the Lombardy capital. There's considerable uncertainty. An alternative is Ryanair, which offers flights to Bergamo-Orio al Serio. However, in this case, fares are extremely high, up to €330 (one-way).
"Those who suffer the consequences," Zonca adds, "are the citizens, but also the Sardinian economy. The shift from the summer season to the months with less tourist influx highlights the fragilities of the system. In this way, the right to mobility is being denied."
Regional Transport Councillor Barbara Manca intervened: "The Department is constantly and vigilantly monitoring compliance with territorial continuity obligations and service conditions. We are aware of the difficulties that are occurring during this period and are closely monitoring the situation, intervening with carriers whenever critical issues arise."
And controversy is mounting over the management of the Alghero-Milan route (now entrusted to ITA under an extension until October 24). Lega politician Michele Pais has launched an accusation: "The territorial continuity of air travel in Sardinia, and particularly in the northwest, is experiencing a situation of grave uncertainty. Flight frequencies to Rome have already been reduced since October, while bookings on the Alghero-Milan Linate route have been unavailable since October 25."
"Regarding the Alghero-Milan route," Barbara Manca explains, "we are working on two levels. Plan A involves extending the current service provided by ITA Airways for a few months. At the same time, and as a precaution, we have formally initiated Plan B, an emergency procedure that will allow us to guarantee the continuity of the service should the extension not be possible. Naturally, once ITA Airways formally communicates its willingness to accept the extension, the emergency procedure will be suspended."
