Last month, it was reported that the Italian government is preparing to welcome a new national carrier after troubles over the rescuing of Alitalia. There are high hopes with this move. The new airline, currently being billed as ITA set to have a fleet of 75 aircraft.

Alitalia Boeing 777
What can we expect from the new Italian carrier? Photo: Vincenzo Pace | JFKJets.com

A refined focus

According to Il Mattino, the new carrier will also have 7,000 members of staff that will focus on conducting cargo and long-haul operations. Meanwhile, CityLiner will concentrate on regional services.

Plans are due to be shared with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure led by Paola De Micheli for an initial analysis. Nonetheless, due to the global health crisis, the plan that is being drawn up by CEO Fabio Lazzerini and his team are assumed to be flexible.

Regardless, the initial basis of the plan has been reported on. There are details shared that look five years ahead. There is expected to be a fleet of 75 planes, and when fully operational, it is estimated there could be up to 147 aircraft within the airline's holdings.

Alitalia 777
Widebody aircraft will be at the forefront of the new airline's fleet. Photo: Getty Images

Across the continents

The objective of the new airline is to once again concentrate on profitable long-haul services. These operations include trips to North American and Asian destinations

The routes are expected to include New York, Miami, San Francisco in the United States. Trips to airports in Canada, South America, South Africa, Thailand, Singapore, and China would also be on the cards. These longer distances would be covered by Boeing jets, while CityLiner will concentrate on deploying Airbus planes.

Moreover, there will be a newfound focus on cargo markets. The pandemic has shifted the aviation industry towards a concentration on shipping operations. So, the carrier will be looking to capitalize on this advancement. Ultimately, the expansion of this sector will make it possible to limit redundancies.

According to Planespotters.net, Alitalia currently has a total of 108 planes. However, amid the challenging conditions, just under half of these are parked. When it comes to narrowbodies, the carrier holds a mix of Airbus A320 family aircraft and Embraer ERJ jets. Meanwhile, for long-haul flights, it holds Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s.

Alitalia A320 front
Alitalia has a diverse fleet. Photo: Getty Images

A new opportunity

Altogether, it sounds like positive news for Italy's aviation industry. Even before the pandemic, there have been several difficult years for the flag carrier. So, a new lease of life is needed in the scene. Whatever the conclusion of the plan is, hopefully it all works out in the long run.

Simple Flying reached out to Alitalia for comment on its situation but did not hear back before publication. We will update the article with any further announcements from the company.

What are your thoughts about the plans for ITA? Are you exciting about the new chapter for Italy's commercial airline industry? Let us know what you think of the situation in the comment section.