ItalyUpdate

The British low-cost carrier Easyjet has announced plans to expand its operations in Italy. At present, the company has 15 planes based at Malpensa 2, making the Milan airport its most important base after its home base at London Gatwick. From Malpensa, the companys main destinations are London, Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Naples, Palermo, Olbia, Bari and Catania, lifting a large slice of the market from the still limping new Alitalia. The first four months of 2009 registered a load factor of 97% for the British carrier, while Alitalia is to cut services to Brussels, Paris, London and Fiumicino, Rome. Easyjet hopes to increase its fleet at Malpensa to 25 planes by 2015, when the Milan Expo world fair is to be held.