Alitalia Deals a Mortal Blow to Reggio Calabria Airport

[GAC]

Italian media is reporting that Alitalia Airlines has decided to eliminate all fights to and from the Reggio di Calabria airport effective March 27, 2017 (the beginning of the summer schedules). This concerns a total of 56 weekly flights to and from Rome FCO, Milano LIN and Torino, and represents a mortal blow to the economic viability of the airport, since only one carrier -- Blue Panorama -- will remain with very limited service to only FCO and LIN. The reason given is lack of economic sustainability, something which is becoming a greater reality for a large number of Italian domestic air routes save those to and from the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. These significant cuts make the airport at Lamezia Terme by far the most important in Calabria, since Crotone has now closed and Reggio di Calabria left in a financially precarious state. I would not be surprised to see the airport close down in the future, especially if Trenitalia increases the number of Frecciargento trains.

To blame for these cuts is the high-speed train, which now connects Reggio di Calabria with Rome in less than five hours, and at lower fares. In fact, Trenitalia has 7 daily trains between Reggio and Rome: 4 Intercity taking 7.5 hours; 2 Frecciabianca taking 6.5 hours, and 1 Frecciargento taking under 5 hours. The lowest SUPER ECONOMY fares (advance purchase not exceeding four months) are 39.90 for the FA, 19.90 for the FB and 9.90 Euros for the IC.

If you think about it, paying 9.90 Euros for the train from Reggio to Rome is a drop in the bucket, considering the distance of over 700 kilometers!

The airport at Reggio Calabria was opened in 1939, and its days may be counted.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Thanks for the info GAC

I'm a great fan of Italian trains, and given the choice of plane or train on the Rome to Reggio di Calabria route, I'd definitely choose the train irrespective of price, but the price reinforces it. I'm sure part of the impact is just how poor the experience at the airports is now, and the time lost there (though small local airports are much better in this respect). The good prices often play into the hands of us tourists, because if we have to take a train when changing bases, we'll often know 3-6 months in advance, and be committed to that date, so booking early is not a chore. We got a two for one rate recently going from Trento to Bologna and I couldn't quite get my head around how cheap it was (and we've had plenty of bargains before, including one of those daft €10 go anywhere in the country fares many years ago)

I recall a reverse scenario in the UK, where I had the choice of direct train (5hr 15 mins), train - changing twice (4 hr 45 mins assuming connections were made), or plane + short train trip the other end (about 3-3.5 hours all in). The craziness though was it was cheaper to fly than to take that slow direct train. I apologise to the environment for doing so.