Tag: Milan (Page 3 of 3)

Italy’s Salvini Prefers Transportation Group as Alitalia Partner

June 14, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

MILAN, June 14 (Reuters) – Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Friday an infrastructure or transportation group would be his preferred partner for troubled carrier Alitalia.

He added that he had reservations about a possible involvement of Lazio soccer club Chairman Claudio Lotito, who submitted an expression of interest for the airline this week.

Salvini’s comments put pressure on Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio, who is also the leader of the 5-Star Movement and has been handling the Alitalia crisis since the coalition government took office last year.

Di Maio has already had to postpone the deadline for the rescue of the carrier three times and the latest extension is due to expire on Saturday with every expectation it will have to be prolonged yet again as the search for a solution continues.

Italy’s state-owned railway group Ferrovie dello Stato is spearheading an effort to set up a consortium of investors to buy loss-making Alitalia, which is managed by administrators.

So far Ferrovie has secured the commitment of Delta Air Lines but it is struggling to find another partner who is willing to invest more than 300 million euros ($336 million) in Alitalia, which has a long history of financial woe.

Salvini, who is the head of coalition party League, said caution was needed in picking the right partners.

“We are talking about a company (Alitalia) with 11,000 employees, which has a potential U.S. partner (Delta) with dozens of billions in sales, that deals with infrastructure and airplanes,” Salvini told reporters in Milan.

“As far as I know, Lotito, at present, just lets lads play soccer,” he added.

One source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Ferrovie had recently had talks with infrastructure group Atlantia over Alitalia, but added that its involvement in any accord still lacked the necessary political green-light.

Di Maio and other 5-Star officials strongly criticised Atlantia over the deadly collapse of a motorway bridge managed by the group, which killed 43 people last August.

After the disaster the government said it would revoke Atlantia’s motorway concession, accusing the company of poor maintenance of its road network.

Atlantia has denied any wrongdoing and could join the Alitalia consortium as a way to mend its relationship with the government, sources had told Reuters. The company, which is controlled by the Benetton group, denied on Wednesday that it had reached a deal to join the rescue.

($1 = 0.8923 euros)

(Reporting by Francesca Piscioneri, Writing by Francesca Landini; Editing by Crispian Balmer)

Fiat Chrysler Signs EV Charge Point Deals with Enel, Engie

June 14, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: A Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) sign is seen at its U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan

MILAN (Reuters) – Carmaker Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has signed an agreement with European utilities Enel and Engie to help offer its customers charging points for electric vehicles (EV) it is planning to roll out.

FCA, which is lagging rivals in developing electrified vehicles, said last June it would invest 9 billion euros ($10 billion) over the next five years to introduce hybrid and electric cars across all regions.

Last month, the Italian-American carmaker proposed a merger with French rival Renault in part to share the costs of developing a new series of electric cars. Merger talks collapsed earlier this month.

In a statement, FCA said the main aim of its partnerships with Enel and Engie was to be able to offer private and public charging stations to support the sales of its soon-to-be-launched fully electric Fiat 500 BEV and plug-in hybrid Jeep Renegade PHEV.

“We are assembling an eco-system of partners, products and services across multiple markets to meet and exceed the rapidly evolving expectations of our customers for electrified vehicles,” FCA Chief Executive Mike Manley said.

The deal also includes developing services such as apps to allow clients to locate public charging points.

Enel, through its Enel X unit, will work with FCA in Italy, Spain and Portugal, while Engie will work with the carmaker in 14 other European markets.

(Reporting by Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Mark Potter)

HK Bellawings Exercises Options, Adds More Global 7500 Jets

May 23, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

David Coleal, President, Bombardier Aviation and HK Bellawings’ President, Mr. YJ Zhang

May 21, 2019 • Geneva Business Aircraft Press Release

• Two Global 7500 business jet options exercised are part of initial agreement signed in May 2018 at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva
• Letter of intent for five new Global 7500 aircraft reinforces flagship status as the largest and longest range business jet, ideally suited for the Greater China region
• HK Bellawings Jet Limited becomes operator managing China’s largest fleet of Global 7500 aircraft

Bombardier is pleased to announce that Hong Kong aircraft management company HK Bellawings Jet Limited has signed a letter of intent (LOI) for five new Global 7500 business jets and has also exercised options for two Global 7500 business jets, as part of the initial agreement signed in May last year. This news comes as the industry flagship Global 7500 aircraft is showcased for the first time at the European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva.

“The Global 7500 aircraft continues to demonstrate its unrivalled performance and smooth ride, all the while delivering uncompromising value to customers under any conditions, at any time, without the need for tailwinds,” said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Aviation. “HK Bellawings’ experienced and professional team is a perfect fit for the Global 7500 aircraft’s superior performance and we are thrilled that they have chosen our flagship to expand their growing fleet of business jets.”

“Today marks a step forward towards our goal of becoming the premier Asian private jet operator. We are very impressed with Bombardier’s Global 7500 aircraft since its entry into service less than six months ago,” said HK Bellawings’ President Mr. YJ Zhang. “Its unmatched performance and range is ideally suited for our customers in the Greater China region. As the operator that will manage one of the world’s largest fleet of Global 7500 aircraft, HK Bellawings Jet will further expand its business scope and continuously pursue higher goals.”

Winner of the 2019 Aviation Week Grand Laureate Award and a Red Dot award for design, the Global 7500 jet offers Bombardier’s signature smooth ride and a spaciousness that is unique among business jets. Featuring a full-size kitchen and four true living spaces, the aircraft sets the benchmark for the most exceptional cabin interior. The Global 7500 aircraft’s range of 7,700 nautical miles is the longest in business aviation. This business jet can connect the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong non-stop to the cities of New York, London or Milan, and also fly nonstop from Singapore to Vancouver.*

Established in 2014, HK Bellawings Jet Limited is a distinguished business jet management company dedicated to providing a diverse array of professional, highly efficient and comprehensive business aviation services and solutions, which include business jet management, aircraft maintenance, travel concierge service, aircraft acquisition service, and business aviation consultancy. They operate a fleet of Challenger and Global business aircraft.

Italy’s Government Extends Alitalia Bid Deadline to June 15

May 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio extended a deadline to submit bids for the ailing carrier Alitalia to June 15, a government statement said on Friday.

The decision followed a request from Italy’s state railway group Ferrovie dello Stato, which is one of the companies who have said they are willing to contribute to the rescue plan.

The current deadline had expired at the end of April.

The government is arranging a rescue of the ailing company to avoid mass layoffs and has lined up Ferrovie dello Stato and U.S. carrier Delta as potential investors. But it still needs another investor to contribute to a bid that is estimated to be worth around 1 billion euros (850.3 million pounds).

Flagship carrier Alitalia has been run by administrators since 2017 after workers rejected a previous rescue plan.

(Reporting by Elvira Pollina; editing by Francesco Guarascio)

HK Bellawings Firms Order for Four More Global 7500 Jets

April 15, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Fleet operator continues to confirm orders after signing letter of intent for multiple Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft in May 2018
HK Bellawings Jet Limited will become operator managing China’s largest fleet of Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft
Flagship Global 7500 business jet making its airshow debut at ABACE
Long-range, large-cabin Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft on track to enter service this year

Bombardier is pleased to announce that Hong Kong aircraft management company HK Bellawings Jet Limited firmed up an order for four Global 7500 business jets. This news comes as the flagship Global 7500 aircraft arrives at the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE), its first airshow since entering service.

“We are proud to announce this firm order as the Global 7500 aircraft makes its public debut at ABACE, one of the world’s most important aerospace exhibitions,” said Khader Mattar, Vice President of Sales for the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and China, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Our flagship jet has been causing a sensation since entering service less than four months ago, and this order underscores that this aircraft, with its unparalleled range and four true living spaces, is ideal for the Greater China region.”

HK Bellawings first announced their intent to purchase up to 18 Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft, for a potential value of $1.14 billion US, in May 2018 at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva. Hours earlier, Bombardier had stunned the industry by launching two new long-range, large-cabin business jets, the Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft.

In September 2018, HK Bellawings firmed up its order of four Global 6500 and two Global 7500 business jets, for an approximate value of $370 million US, based on current list prices for typically equipped aircraft. Today, HK Bellawings and Bombardier are pleased to confirm that four more
Global 7500 aircraft are now part of that firm purchase, bringing the total of firm aircraft orders to 10. This latest announcement represents a value of approximately $291 million US, based on current list prices.

“We are thrilled to offer our customers access to the unparalleled Global 7500 aircraft as part of our unmatched fleet,” said HK Bellawings President Mr. YJ Zhang. “The Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft align with HK Bellawings’ rapid development to be a one-stop business aviation solution. As the operator that will manage one of the world’s largest fleet of Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft, HK Bellawings Jet will further expand our business scope and continuously pursue higher goals.”

The Global 7500 aircraft’s range of 7,700 nautical miles is the longest in business aviation. This business jet can connect the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong non-stop to the cities of New York, London or Milan, and also fly nonstop from Singapore to Vancouver.*

About Bombardier

With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Qatar Airways Says Air Italy Stake Is In Compliance

April 11, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DUBAI (Reuters) – State-owned Qatar Airways on Thursday dismissed concerns its 49 percent stake in Air Italy breaches a 2018 aviation agreement between the United States and Qatar, designed to address U.S. concerns that Gulf airlines had an unfair competitive advantage.

The U.S is “looking very closely” at the deal after Republicans and Democrats said on Wednesday they were concerned it violated the agreement.

Qatar Airways bought a stake in Italian airline Meridiana in 2017, rebranded it Air Italy and transformed it into a carrier with five announced non-stop U.S. destinations from Milan.

Qatar Airways said the stake was “fully compliant” with the 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings, an additional pact that accompanied the U.S-Qatar Open Skies agreement.

Since 2015 the largest U.S carriers – Delta Air Lines, American Airlines Group and United Airlines – have argued their Gulf rivals are being unfairly subsidized by their governments, distorting competition.

Gulf airlines have always denied those accusations and last year separate voluntary agreements were reached between the U.S. and Qatar, and the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates to address the concerns. Measures included the airlines not adding new flights to the U.S.

However, Air Italy has been flying to New York and Miami since June last year and was due to start serving San Francisco and Los Angeles from this month and Chicago in May.

Qatar Airways said in a statement its investment in Air Italy, which closed in September 2017, preceded the 2018 agreement but complied with it.

It said its investments in other airlines were not raised as a point of concern during the discussions that led to the 2018 agreement and that the deal does not mention or prohibit cross-border investments.

Qatar Airways also said it did not codeshare on Air Italy’s flights to the U.S. and has no plans to do so.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

Alitalia Future Uncertain as easyJet Quits Talks

March 18, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LONDON (Reuters) – The future of Alitalia was plunged further into uncertainty on Monday after British budget airline easyJet pulled out of talks to rescue the Italian carrier two weeks before a deadline to save it.

EasyJet said it had decided to withdraw from the process after discussions with Italy’s state-controlled railway Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and U.S. airline Delta Air Lines.

Alitalia was put under special administration in 2017 after workers rejected the latest in a long line of rescue plans, leaving the government once again seeking a buyer to save the airline.

Ferrovie is racing against the clock to meet deadline of the end of the month set by the Italian government to present a rescue plan for Alitalia, and had been in talks with easyJet and Delta over a possible deal.

But the parties had not seen see eye to eye on the structure of a deal. Without an industrial partner fully on board, a source said last week that Alitalia could soon find itself in trouble since neither Ferrovie nor the state have the skills to run the carrier.

Delta said it was still in talks with Ferrovie.

“Discussions remain ongoing as Alitalia is a long-standing partner of Delta,” the U.S. airline said in a statement.

Alitalia and Ferrovie could not immediately be reached for a comment.

EasyJet, whose shares were unaffected by Monday’s announcement, had said several times it was interested in Alitalia’s short-haul operations and positions at primary airports.

A source familiar with the talks said easyJet still believed it could be a good partner for Alitalia, but that a deal was not feasible with the current approach.

“EasyJet pulled out because it wanted to control (Alitalia’s) Milan hub and use it for point-to-point flights. This could not be done,” another source with knowledge of the matter said.

EasyJet said it remained committed to Italy, as a key market for the company.

“We continue to invest in the three bases in Milan, Naples, (and) Venice,” it said in a statement.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout in London and Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Agnieszka Flak in Milan and Giselda Vagnoni in Rome; Editing by Keith Weir and Mark Potter)

British pilot Kate McWilliams became the world’s youngest ever commercial airline captain at age 26 with easyJet.

Air Italy Flights Rekindle U.S. Carrier Anger

December 19, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

ROME (Reuters) – Air Italy will start flying to Chicago next year, a move likely to revive a dispute between its minority shareholder Qatar Airways and U.S rivals trying to squeeze Gulf operators out of their domestic market.

Formerly known as Meridiana, Air Italy is the country’s second-largest airline, behind ailing Alitalia [CAITLA.UL], and state-owned Qatar Airways holds a 49 percent stake in it.

Air Italy will fly to Chicago three times a week from Milan Malpensa airport starting from May 14, 2019, Chief Operating Officer Rossen Dimitrov told Reuters.

Since 2015 the largest U.S carriers — Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), American Airlines Group (AAL.O) and United Airlines (UAL.N) — have argued their Gulf rivals are being unfairly subsidised by their governments, distorting competition.

Gulf airlines have always denied those accusations and in May the companies reached a voluntary agreement, saying they would not add new flights to the United States.

However, Air Italy has been flying to New York and Miami since June and will start serving San Francisco and Los Angeles from April 2019.

That has drawn criticism from an alliance of U.S.-based airlines grouped in the “Partnership for Open & Fair Skies”, that Qatar Airways is using Air Italy to offer additional flights between the U.S. and Europe, despite the agreement.

“Once again, Qatar is using Air Italy as a Trojan horse built from subsidized cash to avoid its commitments to the Trump administration and launch new … routes,” said Scott Reed, campaign manager for the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies.

In an emailed statement, Reed called on U.S. President Donald Trump to intercede on the behalf of U.S. airlines.

Dimitrov tried to dismiss any suggestion that Air Italy was acting improperly, noting that Qatar Airways was a minority shareholder.

“They do not dictate what we do and where we go. They do not manage us,” he said.

He added that he would be happy to work with the U.S airlines under code-share agreements, from which both sides would benefit, “rather than spending time and money fighting each other”.

The opening of the Chicago route next year is part of a wider plan, announced in May, in which the airline aims to grow its fleet and passenger numbers fourfold by 2022.

(Reporting by Giulia Segreti and Alberto Sisto; Editing by Keith Weir and Crispian Balmer)

Image from http://www.airitaly.com

Dezeen’s top 10 skyscrapers of 2018

December 13, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

In keeping with todays architecture theme, reporter India Block picks 10 of the year’s best skyscrapers for our review of 2018, from one sporting a 100-metre-high waterfall to the northernmost tower block in the world.

Towering 170 metres over Milan, the Generali Tower expresses Zaha Hadid Architects’ signature curves in a helical twist that runs through the tower.

No two floors are aligned inside the 44-storey skyscraper, hence the nickname “the twisted one”. Now the city’s third-tallest building, it stands together with Arata Isozaki’s 202-metre high Allianz Tower and the incomplete 175-metre tall PwC tower by Studio Libeskind on Milan’s former expo site.

Click the link below for the full story!

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/12/11/top-10-skyscrapers-2018/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_3d991e789379574a3e1c77cfd48c90eb&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Dezeens%20top%2010%20skyscrapers%20of%202018

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