As the end date for Alitalia’s operations approaches, the Sardinia region is rushing towards a definition to the process that will grant subsidies to the operators of its continuità territoriale network.
While the winner of the race for each of the six routes has not yet been confirmed, Italian news agency ANSA has reported that Volotea, the Spanish low-cost carrier with a significant presence in the country, was eliminated from the competition. Aviacionline had already reported earlier this week that the company’s documentation lacked a copy of its representative’s ID card.
This would open the way for Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA), the Italian government’s new airline venture that aims to replace the void left by Alitalia, to win the race for the network.
The six routes connect Alghero, Cagliari and Olbia with Milan-Linate and Rome Fiumicino airports. The Sardinia region subsidizes the connections in exchange for a high number of frequencies, reliability of services, and, most importantly flat ticket prices.
According to ANSA, the lack of documents is a shortcoming considered «irremediable» by the Region, which will now verify the documents submitted by ITA.
As reported by Aviacionline, Volotea had requested the lowest amount of subsidies, ranging from 21.5% to 23% to less than the maximum limit that would reach 37 million euros in subsidies for the six routes over the seven-month period. The emergency contract will be carried out, as Alitalia, the incumbent carrier, will close before the end of the original contract.
According to another ANSA report, Volotea considers the decision «due to bureaucratic formalities […] senseless and incredible». It is also «a clear violation of European Union law». Finally, it added that it will use «all available local remedies», which does not exclude a complaint to the European Commission.
According to Volotea, if accepted in their entirety the offers – the call for applications was made on a route-to-route basis -, would save Sardinian taxpayers around EUR3 million when compared to ITA’s offers.
