Strategic plan for new Alitalia unveiled

The strategy for the new Alitalia was unveiled on January 20th, with an unequivocal commitment by the new executive team and strategic investors to reinvent the airline. Alitalia will introduce new routes, new product and service standards, a new cost management strategy and new branding, as the foundations to build a premium global airline representing the best of Italy. The new Alitalia commenced operations on January 1st, 2015, following the completion of equity investments by Etihad Airways and Alitalia’s existing shareholders. The new company’s Board meeting on January 19th ratified the business strategy, which was outlined by Luca di Montezemolo, Chairman of Alitalia, Silvano Cassano, Chief Executive Officer of Alitalia, and James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group and Vice Chairman of Alitalia.
Luca di Montezemolo said: “The energies, passion and expertise I have experienced at Alitalia in recent weeks do not leave any doubt that the airline we’re unveiling today will become once again a premium Italian airline recognised worldwide. This is why I believe the people in Alitalia are a pillar of the history we’re about to write. “Our priority is to put the customer at the centre of everything we do. And to do that, we will change many things, starting with the way we work. We need to work as one united team to achieve this great common goal. “The revitalised Alitalia we envision and have started building, will be an asset to this country, and a driver to support the growth of our tourism and our business.” James Hogan said Alitalia’s future will rely on major change throughout the organisation. “In a market still beset by the continuing Eurozone crisis, anything other than rapid, decisive change is simply not an option. “This is the right strategy, with the right management team to lead it. “But there should be no doubts at all: we have made a commercial investment that must deliver a commercial return. “We’ve invested in the new Alitalia because we believe it can flourish again. It will only succeed if there is 100 per cent support from everyone. The coming months and next few years will not be easy, but if everyone pulls together as one team, Alitalia can grow again.” Mr Hogan said that Alitalia’s major investors had set a clear deadline for the airline to deliver profitability by 2017.