Brussels, 28/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has indicated through a spokesperson that it has received another letter of complaint from British Airways (BA), denouncing the aid in the form of a loan that the Italian government is preparing to offer to the airline Alitialia. Giancarlo Cimoli, the head of Alitialia, said on Monday at a shareholders meeting that “the details of the new plan will be finalised in July”. The Commission, which is due to endorse the rescue plan, confirmed that it was still awaiting formal notification from the Italian authorities.
In his letter to Loyola de Palacio, European Commissioner for transport and energy, Rod Eddington, head of BA, also complains about the aid granted by the American government to national airlines. According to the Financial Times on Monday, Mr thinks that it is time to review the system which has been in place since the attacks of 11 September 2001 which offers advantages to American airlines, notably in terms of pensions and insurance. While a Commission study on security measures in airports and within airlines is due to be published in the next few days, the American authorities could reassess the measures in place to cover the insurance premiums for risk of attack from 1 August onwards.