The Italian trademark and new services of Alitalia: the pleasure of flying ‘Made in Italy’

How does the Alitalia management view the current Russian-Italian ties in the business sector?

The bilateral relationships between Russia and Italy have always been strong and supported by a reciprocal friendship, which goes much beyond commercial activities. This has encouraged Alitalia to invest into this important market and the high number of the company’s flights and connections from Russia to Italy is a confirmation our deep and consolidated willing to create business and provide faster and better connections between our countries.

How, in your opinion, do you think Alitalia can help further boost Russian-Italian relations?

The relations between the two countries’ civil aviation industries are excellent as well as Alitalia’s relations with the national carrier, Aeroflot, which is not only a strong member of SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, but also a consolidated partner for Alitalia on the Russian market.

How would characterize Alitalia’s business strategy for the Russian market?

Taking into consideration the fact that the Russian market has remained an important route for Alitalia since airline connections between the two countries started over 40 years ago, our strategies envisage consolidation of our current offers, in terms of connections to/from Italy, for instance, the new Moscow-Turin direct flights, and at the same time, development of new segments of traffic, which as of now have not been fully exploited.

What are the company’s key competitive advantages over other airlines on this route?

Basically, I would say, Alitalia has two key competitive advantages: the first is the Italian brand, what we call “Made in Italy,” a trademark that portrays style, awareness and prestige all over the world. The second is the fact that the new Alitalia’s mission is to provide a better service, with new fleet, careful service on board, with flexibility and reactivity to clients’ needs.

Which new products has Alitalia launched on its international routes, including Russian destinations?

Alitalia has launched some new programs for 2010, such as the new ‘Premium Economy’ service, available on board of our long-haul flights served by A330s. This new service enables passengers to enjoy more in-flight comfort, thanks to wider leg space and special seats as well as more airport and in-flight services. I would also like to mention the new direct Moscow-Turin flights, which are further reconfirmation of the high attention that Alitalia is dedicating to connecting more destinations between Russia and Italy.