Armavia (U8, Yerevan Zvartnots (EVN)) believes that the Armenian government's pending plans to further liberalize its skies by inviting foreign carriers such as Austrian Airlines (OS, Vienna International (VIE)), Alitalia (AZ, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO)), CSA Czech Airlines (OK, Prague Vaclav Havel Ruzyne (PRG)) and flydubai (FZ, Dubai International (DXB)) to freely use Yerevan Zvartnots (EVN) will prove disastrous for the country's home-grown aviation scene in the long run. During a recent meeting of the country's National Council in Yerevan in which a possible financial bailout of the bankrupt carrier was discussed at both Ministerial and Presidential level, the Armenian Department of Civil Aviation proposed a deregulation of the country's skies in order to help improve regional and international connectivity, as well as make air travel more accessible, a move the airline said would have a devastating impact on domestic operators if implemented.

Darwin Airline (F7, Lugano Agno (LUG)) is set to base one of it's Saab 2000s in Leipzig/Halle (LEJ) where it will be used to operate double daily flights to both Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) from September onwards. Speculation is mounting regarding a possible announcement due later this week over a much anticipated tie up between the Swiss operator and Air France-KLM. Darwin Airline currently has deals with CSA Czech Airlines (OK, Prague Vaclav Havel Ruzyne (PRG)) and Alitalia (AZ, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO)) in which it provides a feeder service under its own flight numbers albeit under a codeshare with the Skyteam carriers. In other related news, flights from Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO) to Ancona Falconara (AOI), currently operated by Alitalia will cease by May 30 following which Darwin Airline will start four times daily Saab 2000 service on the route with Alitalia codesharing on the flights.

Carpatair (V3, Timisoara Traian Vuia International (TSR)) have returned their last remaining ATR72-500 YR-ATR (c/n 555) to leasor, Nordic Aviation Capital, following the cancellation of the Romanian operator's contract with Alitalia (AZ, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO)). Carpatair had wet-leased two of its ATR72-500s to Alitalia for use on its Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO) to Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ) and Pisa Galileo Galilei International (PSA) flights until one of the aircraft, YR-ATS (c/n 533), veered off the runway on roll out at Fiumicino in February resulting in the contract being suspended and then cancelled outright.

Alitalia (AZ, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO)) has appointed Gabriele Del Torchio as its chief executive officer. Del Torchio, an Italian manager who turned around the fortunes of Ducati, the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer, replaces Andrea Ragnetti, who quit in February after the Italian national carrier posted a net loss of EUR 280million. According to Corriere della Sera, Del Torchio will have to "radically cut costs in order to meet a key company objective of balancing the books by this year," in preparation for the carrier's planned sell off to Air France-KLM who currently have a 25% stake in the company.

Air Tahiti Nui (TN, Papeete Faa'a (PPT)) has filed with the US Department of Transport for antitrust immunity in its planned joint venture with Air France (AF, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)) which will encompass metal neutrality (the practice in which an airline uses aircraft operated by alliance partners to serve its own routes) and revenue sharing on its Papeete Faa'a (PPT)-Los Angeles International (LAX)-Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) route. Its Los Angeles-Papeete route, however, is not covered in the proposal. Given France's historic ties with Tahiti, the joint venture is viewed as "essential" for the continued viability of Air Tahiti Nui as an international airline. In addition to maintaining its codeshare agreements with American Airlines (AA, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW)), Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD)) and JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda (HND)), the Tahitian carrier is considering partnerships with other Skyteam members Alitalia (AZ, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International (FCO)), Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International (ATL)) and of course, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)), as a means of enhancing its competitiveness though it maintains that it has "no plans" to join Skyteam, as in its view, "the cost and burdens in joining would outweigh the benefits."