Three airlines scrap plans for SA service

Leonard Neill VOLARE AIRLINES, the Italian carrier which had planned to enter the Europe-South Africa service, has put its plans 'on hold'. The airline had committed on paper to SA flights from April 1, according to a spokesman for Airports Company South Africa (ACSA). Following the turmoil into which international flights were thrown after the US September 11 disaster, Volare has now decided to hold back on future plans. Primarily a domestic carrier in Italy, it has one over-border service to Belgium. At the same time the airline is now in discussion with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines regarding an alliance partnership. This, however, may work contrary to any agreement which KLM may reach in its present negotiations with British Airways. Volare was considering taking up the vacancy in the SA-Italy service left by the withdrawal of Alitalia, which had, towards the end of last year, considered re-entering this route, but has now decided against it. As a result Alitalia's cargo office at Johannesburg International Airport has been closed and the airline's Illovo office in Johannesburg is now servicing only transit passenger requirements on flights from the UK to Italy in conjunction with Virgin Atlantic Airlines, which serves it passenger-wise on the SA UK route. Another airline which had considered reopening its flights to South Africa, Austrian Airways, has now announced it will not be flying to South Africa in future.