The FINANCIAL — Alitalia and airberlin on April 18 announced that they will strengthen their commercial relationship to build a new ‘air-bridge’ between Italy and Germany and bring benefits for businesses and holidaymakers.
Their mutual passengers will benefit from up to 25 percent increased weekly frequencies on non-stop flights from Italy including a new airberlin route from Bologna to its Dusseldorf hub base with three flights a day, starting 2 May. The German carrier will also add capacity from Florence and Venice to Dusseldorf with the current daily operation from both Italian cities increasing to three services a day. The new commercial agreement between the two airlines, both members of the Etihad Airways Partners group, will see the carriers codeshare on more than 1,400 flights a week on 91 different routes including 56 non-stop services and 750 weekly flights between Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, according to Alitalia.
Teams from both Alitalia and airberlin have worked together to improve flight connection times and route networks to provide more choice and convenience for business and leisure travellers in one of Europe’s largest aviation markets. Frequent flyers can collect and redeem Millemiglia miles and topbonus on codeshare flights thanks to a mutual loyalty programme agreement between both airlines.
Cramer Ball, chief executive officer of Alitalia, said: “Thanks to this strengthened cooperation, we will be able to offer more competitive fares, a wider choice of flight and a better schedule to our passengers, with benefits for both free competition and consumer choice. Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, already tied by strong economic relationship, will now be even closer”.
Stefan Pichler, chief executive officer, airberlin, added: “This greater commercial collaboration with Alitalia should pave the way for increased competition and choice in the European aviation market which will greatly benefit the flying public”.
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