Comments on: Things Get Worse for Alitalia, If You Can Believe It http://crankyflier.com/2008/02/11/alitalia-air-france-klm-merger-in-trouble/ Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:13:22 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Scott http://crankyflier.com/2008/02/11/alitalia-air-france-klm-merger-in-trouble/comment-page-1/#comment-25409 Scott Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:35:07 +0000 http://crankyflier.com/2008/02/11/alitalia-air-france-klm-merger-in-trouble/#comment-25409 For the record, I think the MXP pull-out was (and still is) a bad idea in the first place for AZ. I get their idea of focusing on a single hub, but leaving Milan (Italy's largest metro area and business hub) is just plain idiotic. Sounds to me like that decision was made for political, not business-savvy reasons (i.e. the decision to focus on Rome). And, SEA has a point. I'm not sure about a legal argument, but they DID build an entirely new airport in 1998 for the purpose of serving Alitalia's hub. While it may not be anyone's favorite airport, the only place worse I can think of is FCO. In the end, though, perhaps your right... while I don't think the solution to AZ's problems is to pull-out of MXP, perhaps it's time they just close their doors altogether. But then, the Italians don't have a reputation for going down without a bloody fight. For the record, I think the MXP pull-out was (and still is) a bad idea in the first place for AZ. I get their idea of focusing on a single hub, but leaving Milan (Italy’s largest metro area and business hub) is just plain idiotic. Sounds to me like that decision was made for political, not business-savvy reasons (i.e. the decision to focus on Rome).

And, SEA has a point. I’m not sure about a legal argument, but they DID build an entirely new airport in 1998 for the purpose of serving Alitalia’s hub. While it may not be anyone’s favorite airport, the only place worse I can think of is FCO.

In the end, though, perhaps your right… while I don’t think the solution to AZ’s problems is to pull-out of MXP, perhaps it’s time they just close their doors altogether. But then, the Italians don’t have a reputation for going down without a bloody fight.

]]> By: DR Gooch http://crankyflier.com/2008/02/11/alitalia-air-france-klm-merger-in-trouble/comment-page-1/#comment-25364 DR Gooch Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:38:04 +0000 http://crankyflier.com/2008/02/11/alitalia-air-france-klm-merger-in-trouble/#comment-25364 Shut the carrier down. It is the only thing that makes sense. Shut the carrier down. It is the only thing that makes sense.

]]> By: nonny moose http://crankyflier.com/2008/02/11/alitalia-air-france-klm-merger-in-trouble/comment-page-1/#comment-25352 nonny moose Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:01:29 +0000 http://crankyflier.com/2008/02/11/alitalia-air-france-klm-merger-in-trouble/#comment-25352 I have an idea. That other great Italian-French alliance - Bruni-Sarkozy - could go Dutch and bail out Alitalia. I have an idea. That other great Italian-French alliance – Bruni-Sarkozy – could go Dutch and bail out Alitalia.

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