Ernest Airlines (Milan Malpensa) plans to restart operations with a fleet of sixteen ATR72-600s covering more than 70 routes and five bases, the aviation news site Naviganti has reported.
Ernest suspended in-house flight operations on January 10, two weeks after the Italian civil aviation authority (Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile - ENAC) said it would retract its Operating Licence (OL) due to an alleged lack of required guarantees.
At the time, the airline operated a leased fleet of one A319-100 and three A320-200s serving two key markets from Italy - Albania and Ukraine.
Now the company aims to alter its strategy in a bid to regain the trust of the authorities and the public, relaunching operations as a domestic and regional carrier in December 2020.
President and CEO Chady El Tannir, Accountable Manager and Chief Operating Officer Alfredo Sostero, and other directors reportedly approved the change of business model at a virtual meeting on August 5.
The chief executive claimed that the plan, to be financed by an investment fund, had already received the support of the Italian government, which considers the project strategic and because new jobs would be generated.
The new fleet of ATR72s, all of which would be registered in Italy, will be purchased over a four-year period, according to the plan. ATR - Avions de Transport Régional is working with the company to give the project its maximum support, El Tannir said.
The network of over 70 routes will concentrate on airports that are currently underserved, thus developing business and domestic tourism, with operational bases at Rome Fiumicino, Ancona, Bari, Milan Bergamo, and Parma. It is in complete absence of conflict with the Alitalia and Trenitalia network, the chief executive assured.
Next, a full business plan and plan of settlement with creditors must be filed with the Court of Milan, Naviganti reported.
