Air Italy (2005–2018)

Air Italy S.p.A., operating as Air Italy[4] was an Italian airline, headquartered in Milan. Using wet-leased aircraft from Boeing, it operated from 2005–2018, later as the main airline of Air Italy Group together with two other subsidiaries, Air Italy Egypt and Air Italy Polska, which both later ceased operation. After 2011, Air Italy was a fully integrated subsidiary of Meridiana, then known as Meridiana fly, and continued its operation under the Meridiana Brand but keeping its own AOC. On 28 February 2018, Air Italy reorganised with Meridiana to create the new Air Italy under the new ownership of Meridiana's parent company, AQA Holding.

This article is about the former Air Italy that was in operation from 2005 under the Meridiana brand. For its successor, see Air Italy (2018–2020).

Air Italy
IATA ICAO Callsign
I9[1] AEY[2] AIR ITALY
Founded2005 (2005)
Ceased operations28 February 2018 (2018-02-28)
Merged with Meridiana to create the new Air Italy[3]
AOC #YXYF237F
HubsMalpensa Airport (Milan)
Focus cities
Frequent-flyer programMeridiana Club
Fleet size12
Destinations36 Pisa
Parent companyMeridiana
HeadquartersOlbia, Sassari, Italy
Websitemeridiana.com

History

Early years

The airline was set up in 2005 and was originally owned by BV Asset Management (40%), Giuseppe Gentile (40%) and the Pathfinder Corporation (20%).[5] It started operations on 29 May of the same year with an inaugural flight from Turin to Budapest. In late 2006, an independent investment company acquired a 40% share in Air Italy.

The funding of 280 million Euros was used to buy three used Boeing 767 aircraft (one -200ER and two -300ERs) in 2007 and 2008 for services to leisure destinations in Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.[6] Most of Air Italy's independent flights left from either Naples Airport, Turin Airport, Verona Airport or Milan Malpensa Airport.[5]

Under Meridiana ownership

On 18 July 2011, Meridiana, then known as Meridiana fly, announced that it would merge with Air Italy.[7] Since 2013, Air Italy operated entirely on behalf of Meridiana using their corporate design.

On 2 September 2017, it was announced that Qatar Airways had bought 49% of AQA Holding, the new shareholder of Meridiana (Air Italy's parent company). On 7 November 2017, it was announced that Qatar Airways would be merging Meridiana and Air Italy under the Meridiana brand and AOC.

Merger and rebranding as Air Italy

On 19 February 2018, Meridiana was officially re-branded and merged with Air Italy in a bid to become Italy's flagship carrier under the new Air Italy brand, in place of the bankrupt Alitalia.[8] Eight new aircraft were to be added in 2018, comprising three Boeing 737 MAX 8 and five Airbus A330-200s. Air Italy confirmed a commitment to receive 20 new 737 MAX aircraft from April 2018 over three years, while the A330s would be sourced from Qatar Airways as it replaces its A330 aircraft with 787s. Air Italy planned to operate 50 aircraft by 2022.[9]

Subsidiaries

Air Italy used to maintain two subsidiaries, which have since ceased to exist:

  • Air Italy Egypt was created in 2007 under the name Euro Mediterranean Airlines as a subsidiary based in Egypt, which initially operated a single Boeing 757-200 that was later replaced by a Boeing 737-800. In September 2009, Euro Mediterranean Airlines was rebranded as Air Italy Egypt, but by the end of the same year it had vanished due to financial difficulties.
  • Air Italy Polska was also established in 2007 to operate leisure flights from Poland. In 2011, it was sold to private investors and renamed Air Poland, but subsequently filed for bankruptcy and shut down in 2012.

Destinations

All of Air Italy's flights were operated on behalf of its parent, Meridiana, under the Meridiana brand.

Fleet

Fleet at closure

The Air Italy fleet consisted of the following aircraft (as of February 2018):[10]

Air Italy Boeing 767-200ER
Air Italy fleet
Aircraft In fleet Orders Passengers Notes
J Y Total
Boeing 737-700 1 — — 148 148 Operated for Meridiana
Boeing 737-800 7 — — 189 189
Boeing 767-200ER 1 — 12 241 253
Boeing 767-300ER 3 — 18 258 276
Total 12 —

Historical fleet

The airline previously operated the following aircraft as of August 2016:[11]

See also

References
  1. "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. "Elenco delle imprese titolari di licenza di trasporto aereo". enac.gov.it. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  3. "Meridiana fly confirms AirItaly rebranding, plots growth".
  4. "Air Italy (2005) on ch-aviation". ch-aviation. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  5. "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 27 March 2007. p. 58.
  6. Airliner World January 2007
  7. "Air Italy - Biglietti aerei - Voli nazionali - internazionali - intercontinentali" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  8. "Air Italy expands as UAE-backed Alitalia goes bankrupt". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  9. "Meridiana to rebrand as Air Italy, confirms future fleet and network plans | CAPA". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  10. "Air Italy Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  11. "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2016): 18.
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