Some things are still true: Alitalia will go out of business on October 15. The Italian government has issued an air operator certificate to the new largely state-owned carrier that will replace it. And someone will have to untangle the mess created by Alitalia continuing, up to last week, to sell tickets for flights after October 15th, when it will no longer be operating.
Some things may be true: the new airline, ITA that will replace it may fly under the Alitalia name. Under the deal Italy made with the EU, the new airline is not a new Alitalia, and the government is obligated to sell off Alitalia’s assets, including its trademarks and name. ITA is prepared to bid on that, or possibly to lease them from the Italian government.
As for the ticketholders, at the very least their plans will change. It’s possible that some arrangements may transfer reservations to other airlines, but ujnder the EU agreement, that can’t be the new airline. And in any case, ITA will start out at half the size of Alitalia and won’t be flying many of the routes those tickets are for. Others will have to hope for refunds from Alitalia.
Stay tuned. Like a popular opera, Alitalia keeps doing encores.
