The new airline EGO Airways is planning to launch point-to-point domestic routes in Italy beginning March 2021.
On January 7, 2021, EGO Airways started ticket sales for travel starting from March 2021. EGO Airways is planning to operate on underserved routes. It will offer service to Forli Airport (FRL), Florence Airport (FLR), Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), Parma Airport (PMF), Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI), and Lamezia Terme International Airport (SUF). In June 2021, more flights will be added to Cagliari, Milan Bergamo (BGY), and Rome Fiumicino (FCO). On these routes, the only competition EGO Airways will face is from Air Dolomiti and Spain’s Vueling Airlines on flights between Catania and Florence.
The airline will offer business class, extra legroom economy class and standard economy class. The economy fare starts at €50 one-way and business class is from €100 one-way.
The airline’s initial fleet consists of two Embraer E190 aircraft, featuring 100 seats each. One of the planes will be based at Forli Airport (FRL), while the other one will be based at Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA). According to Planespotters.net data, the carrier’s first plane, registered as I-EGOA, flew with COPA Airlines since 2008 and was delivered to EGO Airways in October 2020.
EGO Airways was founded in July 2019. It brands itself as the airline focused on customer’s experience: “The possibility to customize its own flight experience through a website: a à la carte service that will allow to buy additional services as, for instance, a private car from/to the airport or a hotel for a romantic weekend,” reads the company’s website.
Coronavirus crisis hit especially hard the carriers operating on the long-haul international flights and it will take time for them to return. Smaller airlines like EGO Airways might have an advantage as charter routes could become more popular due to border restrictions and on-going lockdowns across Europe.