Low-cost carrier Ryanair has decided to sue the Italian aviation authority ENAC over plans to reduce the numbers of flights at Rome's second airport, Ciampino, used by budget airlines.
Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said the move by ENAC was "nothing more than the latest illegal attempt by ENAC and the Italian government to limit the growth of low-cost carriers in a bid to protect Alitalia".
Italian authorities, he added, "are once again trying to keep the terminally ill Alitalia live by blocking low cost flights and competitors".
Over the past year, O'Leary recalled, "ENAC has tried in every and illegal way to place limits on low-cost tickets and the ability of budget airlines to offer flights from Ciampino".
Aside from filing a suit in the Lazio regional court (TAR), Ryanair has also asked that the European Union examine Rome's decision to drastically reduce air traffic at Ciampino.
Last month Italian Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi announced that commercial passenger traffic at Ciampino would soon be reduced from 138 flights to 100.
The reduction will result in one million fewer passengers a year using the airport.
According to O'Leary, these cuts would effect 66 Ryanair flights or 12% of Rome service.
ENAC claims the flight reduction is necessary because of excessive noise and the need to revamps their aiport's runways.
O'Leary has responded by saying the noise came from military air traffic at the airport, while runways could be renovated with the airport open.
When asked if he would accept moving to a new third regional airport promised by the Italian government, O'Leary responded: "Let's see first if they build one, considering politicians in Italy only know how to make promises".
O'LEARY CRITICAL OF ITALIAN POLITICIANS.
The Ryanair CEO has often been critical of Italian politicians whom he sees as responsible for Alitalia's woes.
"Alitalia is a mess and will never resolve its problems until it eliminates political interference," he said on Wednesday.
This echoed a statement last November when he said that "the only way to save Alitalia is to free it from politics... if you look at the airlines which have enjoyed success, Air France for example, you can see that this was because they were managed privately, whereas Alitalia is in trouble because of political interference".
When asked at Wednesday's press conference if Ryanair would consider making a bid forthe floundering Italian carrier, O'Leary laughed and said: "We wouldn't have it even if they gave it to us. Alitalia needs to be privatized but not in its current state, which is over-unionised in order to protect jobs,'
The Treasury is currently trying to sell most of its 49.9% stake in Alitalia. Last month its attempt to auction off the carrier failed because of the strict terms imposed on potential bids.
Alitalia has not posted an operating profit since 1998 and its net debt currently stands at more than 1 billion euros.
In May, Alitalia announced a full-year net loss of 625.6 million euros, 458 million more than previously indicated.
TOWN OF CIAMPINO OPPOSES RYANAIR SUIT.
The town of Ciampino has asked that TAR reject the suit filed by Ryanair air and that the reduction in air traffic be implemented.
Ciampino Deputy Mayor Sergio Pede claimed that "many of the observations made by O'Leary are iwrong, especially about noise levels and night flights".
"Our primary interest is to protect the health of our citizens which cannot be compromised in the interests of Ryanair's earnings nor the need to boost tourism in Rome," Pede said.
In related developments, the Lazio reginal councillor for the environment, Filiberto Zaratti, said that the region oshould back ENAC at the TAR hearings on Ryanair's suit.
"The only thing illegal which I can see is that we have allowed air traffic to expand at Ciampino without ever studying the consequences of this expansion," he observed.
"Officials have finally decided to reduce air traffic to acceptable limits and this appears to bother the low-cost Irish carrier," he added.
