Brussels, 19/04/2000 (Agence Europe) - Ms Loyola de Palacio, European Transport Commissioner, addressed a letter to the Italian authorities on Wednesday inviting them to once more postpone the transfer of flights between the Milanese airports of Linate and Malpensa. The transfer is scheduled for Thursday 20 April. The Commission does not have the power to prevent transfer, but a report by experts forwarded on Tuesday to Ms de Palacio confirmed her doubts as to the compatibility of the means of transfer with European non-discrimination rules, the director for aviation at the Commission, Michel Ayral, told the press. For the Commission, "it is desirable that transfer be postponed. If Italy does not do so, it must be aware of the fact that, if the Commission's final decision is negative, then airline companies which have filed complaints may request damages", specified Mr Ayral.
Doubts expressed by the Commission cover three points: I) the way environmental rules decreed last December by Italy have been implemented; II) the exclusion of certain companies from Linate when the capacities of this airport are conserved within current limits in stead of reducing capacities as initially planned; III) the classification of Linate as a "congested" airport allowing for full coordination of timeslots by airport authorities, without real consultation of the airline companies concerned. The latter complaint that they were "informed" of the decision without consultation foreseen by the European legislation on the attribution of timeslots.
If its doubts are confirmed after examination of the expert report, the European Commission could, after consultation of Italian authorities and of an ad hoc committee of national experts, take a final decision that would be put into application directly.