Saturday 22nd April
The Independent EasyJet takes Italy to court over 'ludicrous' ban on flights
By Michael Harrison, Business Editor
EasyJet vowed yesterday to press ahead with legal action against the Italian government after it was prevented from launching a new low-cost route between Milan and Sardinia.
Italy's National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) refused easyJet permission to begin services even though it has already sold 13,000 seats on the route and was due to fly 149 passengers to the Sardinian city of Olbia yesterday on the inaugural flight.
The Italian Transport Ministry blocked easyJet from starting operations in competition with the Italian carrier Meridiana by designating Milan-Olbia as a "public service obligation" (PSO) route. This gives governments the right to determine which airlines fly the route.
To try to get around the PSO restriction, which applies only to "the transport of passengers for remuneration", easyJet proposed to operate the route for free, to highlight what it claimed was a "ludicrous" breach of European law. But the Italian authorities also prevented it from flying on this basis.
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