Airways has agreed a codeshare partnership with Latvian carrier airBaltic, becoming the Alitalia successor’s 19th since starting commercial operations last October.
Under the terms of the agreement, Riga-based airBaltic will expand its network by putting its BT designator code on selected ITA Airways-operated flights covering 10 Italian cities in the current winter season.
They are Bari (BRI), Brindisi (BDS), Catania ( CTA ), Genoa ( GOA ), Lamezia Terme (SUF), Palermo (PMO), Reggio Calabria (REG), Trieste ( TRS ), Turin ( TRN ) and Venice ( VCE ), which will be joined by Bologna ( BLQ ), Florence (FLO), Naples ( NAP ) and Verona (VRN) in the summer season.
Similarly, ITA Airways will offer new connections to its passengers and will apply its AZ code on flights operated by airBaltic between Italy and Latvia. The Latvian carrier currently serves three destinations in Italy from Riga ( RIX ), flying to Milan Malpensa ( MXP ), Rome Fiumicino ( FCO ) and Verona.
OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Verona will not continue into the summer season, but the airline intends to add service to Catania, Naples, Olbia ( OLB ), Pisa (PSA) and Venice.
“Our strong network of partners enables us to further improve the connectivity of Baltic states,” airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss said. “The new partnership provides convenient connections to existing destinations in Italy.”
State-owned ITA Airways joined SkyTeam in late October and now has codeshare agreements in place with 19 carriers, including fellow SkyTeam members Air France, Delta Air Lines, Kenya Airways and KLM among others. AirBaltic is not a member of any alliance.
The latest partnership comes as Germany’s Lufthansa and Swiss-Italian shipping conglomerate MSC have this week expressed an interest in acquiring a majority stake in ITA Airways.