Italy: airline Blue Panorama to launch low-cost carrier for domestic, European routes

Italian airline Blue Panorama is launching a low-cost carrier that will serve a few domestic and European routes, officials said Thursday. The Rome-based company, called Blu-express.com., will begin flights within the next two months, said Franco Pecci, chairman of both Blu-express.com and Blue Panorama.

It will operate daily domestic flights between Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci airport and Bari and Milan's Malpensa hub starting Nov. 21. It will also operate flights between Rome and some European destinations: Nice and Grenoble, France; Munich, Germany; and Vienna, Austria, starting Dec. 15, the AP reports.

The launching fare, which applies only to the domestic routes, will be Ђ9.99 (US$12) plus tax one way, Pecci said. A.M.