Ego Airways lands at Malpensa, the new Italian airline is ready to take off
New Italian airline Ego Airways landed at Malpensa Airport with its first aircraft. The aircraft was christened with [...]
La new Italian airline Ego Airways landed at Malpensa Airport with its first aircraft. The aircraft was christened Martina; it is an Embraer E190, which entered service in 2008 for Colombian Copa.
In this article:
The aircraft was delivered on a lease to the newly formed company that renamed and "retargeted" it I-EGOA. In these weeks, all the procedures for pilot certification are underway after obtaining the AOC, air operator's certificate.
Where Ego will fly
Details of the company, which is expected to start operating scheduled flights with the introduction of the summer schedule next March, will be outlined by management in a few days. A press videoconference is scheduled for December 10 where the company's development plans will be made public.
According to leaked information, Martina should be the first of 6 aircraft which will initially make up the fleet, Embraers are short-haul aircraft, so it is presumable to think of use on domestic routes and perhaps with connections between secondary airports and Malpensa or other major airports.
Also interesting is the choice of having two flight classes, which is uncommon in low-cost carriers and is not even seen on Alitalia's domestic flights, with the exception of Linate/Fiumicino.
Just go is the tourist rate, while the private class is the name by which the premium class will be identified, which will include: fast track at the airport, lounge access and priority boarding.
Ego Airways members. They are: O.C.P. Group (63.8%), Busca Società Generale Investimenti (10.2%), Edoardo Antonini (7.6%), Giovanni Arcelli (7.6%), Socrit (6.6%), plus other shareholders with smaller stakes (Dario Fulgoni, Barbara Merlini, Stefano Rancan and the company Tramite srl). Chairman and major shareholder of O.C.P. Group is Pierluigi Busca, one of the founders of Doppel Farmaceutici, which was sold a few years ago to Trilantic Capital Partners Europe
What to expect from Ego Airways
Launching an airline in 2021 might sound crazy, but that's not to say the bet can't be won. The market has been swept by a tsunami, lowcost carriers have cut bases and routes, Alitalia is perpetually awaiting a relaunch so there may be room for a niche carrier for "free" routes such as a Trieste-Genoa or an Ancona-Rome.
The big doubt, as we have seen in the recent past for example with Ernest, is that these companies travel on a tightrope with few planes and are often unable to cope with minor inconveniences then causing chain disruptions.
