MUNICH, Germany (eTN) – With the extremely high petrol prices in Italy of nearly 2 euros per liter and raising tolls for Autostrada, Alitalia is hitting back and launching new flights from Munich to Milan/Malpensa Airport for only 79 euros roundtrip, taxes included. This is normally the cost of a taxi from Milan Malpensa Airport into the city center.

In January 2010, Alitalia celebrated its first birthday since its re-launch and privatisation. The Italian airline carried 22 million passengers in its first year of operations, and in the following year in 2011, 25 million passengers were carried. With 10 airplanes by July 2012 (Airbus A320), Alitalia hopes to carry 3 million passengers in 2012 from Milan Malpensa.

Air One, smart carrier and “low-fare” airline, with operations based in Milan-Malpensa for short-haul leisure routes, carried 1.4 million passengers in 2011. With the start of summer 2012, Air One is going to serve 27 destinations in Italy from its new mini hubs of Milan-Malpensa, Pisa, and Venice. Air One will also be serving up additional services like premium seats with more leg room, hotel reservations, car hire at special rates, and more quality and comfort.

Now, and after 3 years and closure of Munich, Alitalia is back again and connecting the Lombardy capital of Milan with Munich. Air One of Alitalia Group will be operating this flight starting March 26.

Pierfrancesco Carino, Alitalia General Manager for Germany and Austria, is confident that the two daily flights are at the best time during the week – one flight each on Saturday and Sunday – and will bring good results. In his speech in Munich yesterday, he said it should prove very attractive for business traffic and will complement the existing routes from Munich to Rome and Frankurt to Milan-Linate.