The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Italian carrier Air Dolomiti has signaled the company’s intention to increase its fleet size by the start of 2025.
CEO Steffen Harbarth said in an interview with Corriere della Sera published on December 28, 2023, that Air Dolomiti will add a further five to six planes between the end of 2024 and the beginning of the following year.
“Every single aircraft we add is a small company. An Embraer needs 6 commanders, 6-7 first officers, 21 flight attendants. Plus 3-5 technicians and mechanics, and 1-2 in administration. In short, we can say 40 people, therefore at least 240 to be hired in 2024 for the increase in the fleet,” Harbarth told Corriere della Sera.
According to ch-aviation.com, the airline, which is part of the Lufthansa Group, currently operates 17 Embraer ERJ 190-200LRs and three ERJ 190-100LRs, with six morel set to arrive from Lufthansa CityLine.
Harbarth aims to use the increase in the number of planes to boost regular services to Frankfurt and Munich, particularly from Northern Italy.
In his interview Harbarth also said the airline was seeing a strong return of passengers from the United States (US), South Korea and Japan following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I can tell you that for several days this year we operated flights to Florence where 80% of the passengers on board came from the USA,” the CEO stated.
He also added that the traditional strong travel season between March and the end of October has extended into the colder months.