In response to the major disruption on Italy’s Florence – Bologna line, startup airline Aeroitalia is offering one-off rescue fares to help passengers commuting between Rome and Milan for April 20.

Alternative routing

In a statement published early Thursday morning, the Poliza di Stato confirmed a complete suspension of operations through a section of the busy Florence - Bologna high-speed and commuter lines following a freight train derailment. No one was injured in the incident; however, a range of train services connecting through the line to Northern cities, including Milan, Trieste, and Turin, faced delays of up to four hours or re-routes onto slower lines.

With heightened demand for alternative connections, Aeroitalia has come to the rescue, offering two one-off services between Rome-Fiumicino (FCO) and Milan Bergamo (BGY) airports scheduled for this evening.

Though the carrier typically only operates a morning flight between the two cities, the evening services are scheduled to depart from Milan at 18:00 and 21:55 before returning from Rome at 20:00 and 23:55. All flights will be likely operated by Aeroitalia’s Boeing 737-800 fleet, with 189 seats available across a one class configuration.

Tickets are currently available for purchase on Aeroitalia’s website and include airport fast-track and free parking at Milan Airport for 72 hours.

Growth for Aeroitalia

Although a new player in the Italian aviation market, startup Aeroitalia, which began operations in July 2022, has already rapidly expanded its operations across Italy, with further European destinations set to start later this year.

From its primary hub at Forli Airport (FRL), the carrier is launching 18 new routes on behalf of travel agencies GoToFly and GoToTravel. The freshly launched services will operate to an array of popular tourist destinations, including Olbia (OLB) on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, Catania–Fontanarossa (CTA) in Sicily, Zakynthos (ZTH), and Dubrovnik (DBV), among others.

Check out all the latest European aviation news here.

Flights will be operated by Aeroitalia’s four current 737-800s and its two leased aircraft, a 20-year-old 737-700 (YR-BMR) and a 9-year-old ATR-72-600 (YR-ACA) for short-haul services.

Though the carrier’s fleet currently remains relatively streamlined, over the next year, Aeroitalia is expected to take on three 737 MAX 8 narrowbody jets on a long-term lease from Air Lease, according to FlightGlobal. While providing additional capacity, the three aircraft are set to aid the airline in its ambitious plans to expand into North Africa, the Middle East, and South America.

Speaking to the media during the carrier’s initial launch in April 2022, founder and non-Executive President Germán Efromovich outlined Aeroitalia’s plans within the industry,

“Today is an important day not only for the birth of Aeroitalia but also for the entire commercial aviation in Italy and across the world. An airline has been created that will offer everyone the opportunity to fly, strictly respecting standards of safety, comfort, and excellence in service."

Was your journey affected by the train derailment today? Let us know in the comments.

Source: FlightGlobal, Reuters, Airways Magazine