CITYJET’s plans to help British Airways start a domestic Italian airline have been hit by a breakdown in talks with a potential shareholder.
The Irish carrier hoped Australia’s regional airline National Jet Systems would take a 49.9% stake.
This would have led to NJS using CityJet’s Air Operators’ Certificate to launch an Italian franchise operation for BA.
However, a CityJet spokesman said the airline’s board had rejected NJS’s bid for the stake.
He confirmed NJS had been interested in a licence for Italy and the Australian airline had a contract with BA.
The BA airline, which would have been similar to its German carrier Deutsche BA and French operation Air Liberte, is believed to have a working name of Italian National Airlines.
BA refused to comment on any Italian plans.
CityJet is setting up a base in Florence to operate franchise services for Air France to Paris this summer. It said there were no separate plans to work with BA in Italy after the NJS deal fell through.