Spanish low-cost airline Volotea has won a tender to continue operating routes out of the Italian island of Sardinia. According to a statement released on October 13, 2021, the Asturias Airport (OVD)-based carrier plans to open a new base in Alghero, northwest Sardinia.
The Alghero Airport (AHO) base will compliment Volotea’s other two hubs at Cagliari and Olbia. Starting from October 15, 2021, Volotea’s three Sardinia bases offer flights to the Italian mainland.
Six new routes between Sardinia and the mainland
While calling itself “the airline of small and midsized European cities” Volotea will operate a total of six routes between Sardinia and the mainland for at least seven months. Between October 15, 2021, and May 14, 2022, Volotea will connect Cagliari, Olbia, and Alghero with Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate airports. The regional government of Sardinia announced that Volotea had been awarded the tender to operate the following six routes:
- Alghero Airport (AHO) to Rome Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO)
- Alghero Airport (AHO) to Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
- Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG) to Rome Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO)
- Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG) to Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
- Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB) to Rome Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO)
- Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB) to Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
Volotea says it will operate these flights until May 2022 and that it will increase frequencies during October, November, and December.
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Volotea has increased its presence in the region
Since Volotea arrived in Sardinia, it has demonstrated its interest in the region, carrying more than 3.5 million passengers between Sardinia and the Italian mainland. For this reason, Volotea has expressed its satisfaction with the tender’s result, which allows it to reinforce its presence in the region.
The regional government of Sardinia put out the tender for the routes knowing that Alitalia would finish flying between Sardina and the mainland on October 14, 2021. While many of Alitalia’s former routes will be taken up by Italy’s new ITA Airways, some routes were without flights. All twelve airlines that operate in Italy were invited to participate in the tender to offer flights from Alghero, Olbia, and Cagliari to Rome and Milan.
Volotea is committed to Sardinia
Following Voltea being unfairly excluded from the first tender, the Spanish-owned airline improved its initial offer to ensure that it was awarded the routes. When speaking about being chosen to operate the six routes between Sardinia and the Italian mainland, the airline’s CEO and founder Carlos Munoz said:
“We are very satisfied with the result of this tender. Our interest in this region has been demonstrated throughout all these years of presence in Sardinia. We have carried more than 1,5 million of passengers from Cagliari and more than two million from Olbia since 2012. These new six routes are a great opportunity for continuing with our objective of growth in this region. This demonstrates our commitment to the Sardinian market and its people, and to our many employees based there, who will be serving these routes.”
What do you think about Volotea and its business plan to connect small and midsized cities? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments.
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