ITALY: Italian Carriers Look To Block Emirates' Latest 5th Freedom Route Ex Milan

MILAN, Italy

• Italian leisure carrier Neos Air, part of Alpitour group, has sent letter to the commissioner of the Italian civil aviation regulator (ENAC), Carlo Mearelli, director general Alexander d’Orsogna, and vice minister Edoardo Rixi opposing Emirates' 5th freedom traffic rights between Milan Malpensa and Lima, Peru.
• Neos president Lupo Rattazzi stated the addition would give Malpensa a unique position and build an Emirates European long-haul platform from Italian airports.
• Neos warned that past generous 5th freedom grants to third-country carriers harmed Alitalia partner talks and now threaten national carriers’ investment value.
• ITA Airways, co-managed by Lufthansa and the economy ministry, also communicated firm opposition to the Milan-Lima awardance.
• Aeroitalia chief executive Gaetano Intrieri called on ENAC to refuse any Emirates permits from Malpensa and criticised the earlier Milan-New York approval.
• Emirates already operates Milan Malpensa-New York JFK and seeks to add Lima, Peru under 5th freedom rights; the route carries about 150,000 annual passengers with no current non-stop service.
• Milan Malpensa currently has only one direct South America link, operated by LATAM Airlines to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
• Emirates' other European 5th freedom routes include Athens-Newark, Barcelona-Mexico City, and Larnaca-Malta and vv.

Sources:

• Corriere