More than a month after the envelopes were opened and forty-five days before the deadline for submitting applications, a fundamental question for the mobility of Sardinians still remains unanswered: who will manage the territorial continuity routes to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate in the period 2026-2029?
The issue was raised by Anpac, the national professional civil aviation association , which is asking for clarification on the outcome of the tender prepared by the Sardinia Region.
The new service structure, as announced by the regional transport department, was supposed to guarantee more frequent services and lower fares for passengers. The service was initially scheduled to begin on October 28, but a series of delays led to the current regime being extended until March 29, 2026.
From the limited information available so far, it appears that three airlines are participating: Aeroitalia, ITA Airways, and the Spanish company Volotea, the latter two merged into a temporary joint venture. Aeroitalia has submitted bids for all routes except Alghero-Linate, but the tender for this route was unsuccessful.
The route between Alghero and Milan Linate represents one of the main points of the affair.
If no bids are received, the tender will have to be republished in the Official Journal of the European Union, with an increase in the financial resources made available to make the connection attractive to carriers.
Despite the time that has passed, Anpac emphasizes, it is still unknown which airlines have been awarded the individual routes and, consequently, which carriers will operate from the three Sardinian airports of Cagliari, Olbia, and Alghero. This uncertainty risks having serious consequences both for airlines' schedules and for passengers, in a context where territorial continuity remains essential to guaranteeing the island's right to mobility.
(Unioneonline)
