Alitalia Airlines, a major airline operating out of Italy, remains popular. However, the company nearly went under in 2008 because of financial problems. This resulted in a host of problems reported by passengers and customers, as well as the media.
Alitalia faced problems in 2008, when the company almost lost its ability to carry passengers. The Italian Civil Aviation Authority stepped forward and made plans to remove the company's license. Had this occurred, Alitalia would have surely stopped running. The problem came about as a result of the company not having enough money to run all its scheduled flights. Alitalia was given a time limit in which to raise funds before it found itself without a license.
Passengers with Alitalia Airlines may be aware of certain rumors that keep flying around the company. In 2008, it was rumored that a French conglomerate would take over the airline and cut all flights to and from Milan, including those already booked. Later a German company was rumored to have made an offer on the airline and to be planning to cease unprofitable flights to certain locations.
According to reviewers on Review Centre, time is the largest problem and complaint surrounding Alitalia Airlines. Some reviewers claim that flights they scheduled didn't arrive on time, while others complain that their flights didn't depart on time. Still others point to cultural differences between Italy and the United States. In Italy, with its more relaxed atmosphere, timeliness isn't as important as in America.
Alitalia Airlines also suffers from problems relating to its low quality, another major complaint registered by users of Review Centre. Reviews published after the financial problems that plagued the company in 2008 show that little has changed. Customers complain that the airline has a generally disorganized feeling, with ticket agents unsure of the answers to simple questions. Complaints have also been registered about the food, comfort and workers on the plane.
Before flying on Alitalia Airlines, be aware that problems associated with the rising cost of fuel may prevent the company from working properly. In September of 2008, the company was nearly forced to ground an entire day of flights because it couldn't afford fuel. This left passengers wondering if their scheduled flight would depart and what would happen to their ticket until a few hours before the flights.