BRITISHAirways is planning to launch a domestic carrier in Italy within two months, Italian airline executives claim.
BA was hoping to start earlier this year but problems with finding a partner caused a delay, as exclusively revealed in Travel Weekly on March 22.
However, BAis believed to have secured the use of five BAe146 jets to start flights.
Meridiana’s commercial director Steve Forte said he understood BA was planning the flights to hub through Rome to serve Turin, plus Palermo and Catania in Sicily.
He said:”The airline will be in BA colours and be similar to Deutsche BA and Air Liberte. “The move has me worried for our domestic operations.”
Meridiana serves all four destinations on its network.
BA refused to comment.