Network risk: where the new German-driven ITA Airways might fly and with what planes

You know the Risk, the game with miniature tanks where you win by conquering a certain number of continents or countries in the world? Let's replace the tanks with more peaceful planes, and in particular those in ITA Airways' beautiful Savoy Blue livery and let's see where, in the more or less near future, the Italian company's long-haul operations might expand to.

The topic has not been addressed On the occasion of the first joint ITA/LH press conference., held on Monday, February 3, in Rome. E this we do is, like Risk, just a game.

The starting point cannot but be the network that ITA will operate during the now upcoming Summer 2024, which will start next March 30. The Italian airline, with its long- and medium-haul fleet consisting of 6 Airbus A350-900s, 11 Airbus A330-900s, 5 Airbus A330-200s and 7 Airbus A321neo aircraft will fly to New York (JFK), Boston, Washington, Miami, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles North America; Rio De Janeiro, São Paulo and Buenos Aires Latin America; Dakar and Accra in West and sub-Saharan Africa; Jeddah, Riyadh, Dubai, Delhi, Bangkok, and Tokyo (HND) in Asia.

The Airbus A321neo, especially as configured in a 'premium' version by ITA could be the tool to open from Rome Fiumicino new routes to sub-Saharan Africa, without the 'risk' that the use of wide-body aircraft would entail in terms of cost.

Lagos (and maybe even the capital Abuja which is less served by Europe) in Nigeria, Abidjan in the Ivory Coast and Nairobi in Kenya would be reachable from Rome by the single-aisle neo. With Mombasa and Zanzibar which could come into play on a seasonal basis (somewhat like the Maldives now) during the European winter, perhaps with a triangular route.

Staying in Africa but looking further south, The absence of any non-stop connection between Italy and South Africa stands out., which is always a popular destination for Italian travelers, as are neighboring countries such as Namibia or Mauritius. A competitor is not in sight as South African Airways continues to face serious financial difficulties.

Admittedly, South Africa is not known to be a destination flying to that is easy to make a profit. Nevertheless, all the major European airlines fly there regularly. E it might be interesting for ITA to explore with its A330-900 Cape Town, rather than Johannesburg, both because it is itself a tourist destination and because flight prices to Cape Town are on average much higher (and therefore likely with greater profit margin) than those charged to fly from Europe to Joburg. Beyond that, Cape Town is far less well served from our continent, both in terms of airlines and weekly flights.

Crossing the Atlantic, while North America is covered extensively, South America is less so, where even Lufthansa is hardly a 'powerhouse'. Santiago de Chile (where Alitalia had flown in its last years) could be re-explored, including as a continuation of the daily A350-900-operated link to Buenos Aires.

And further north there are cities/countries that are both tourist destinations and the origin of large communities living in our country: this is the case in Lima and Peru, Bogota and Colombia, and Ecuador (Quito and Guayaquil, which can be served with a triangular route,) where ITA would be challenging Iberia and KLM.

As for Asia, Hong Kong could be explored from Fiumicino, especially should Cathay Pacific continue with its cautious approach that has seen it yes resume connections between the two cities, but for now Only on a seasonal (summer) basis, and not even on a daily basis. China, with the bargain prices that the home companies are making and as long as the no-fly zone over Russia lasts, continues to be unattractive, as demonstrated by the many European airlines that have left or otherwise reduced flights.

And then there is Seoul: Alitalia was already flying there, but the country after Covid has become extremely popular among domestic travelers, and Italy has always been an attraction for Koreans. Sure, Korean Air flies from Incheon to both Rome and Milan, but the challenge to Skyteam could make the route even more 'compelling' for ITA and the Group it is now part of.

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