Newly Branded Air Italy Aims to Become New Italian Flag-carrying Airline

Sardinia-based airline Meridiana is aiming to become Italy’s premier airline under a new name, Air Italy. The airline acquired the smaller Air Italy in 2011 and will adopt its name and fly as a new Air Italy. Alitalia, Italy’s previous flag carrier, went into administration in May last year and is now being auctioned off in parts to other European airlines.
Meridiana is part owned by Qatar Airways (49%) and Alisarda S.p.A which originally owned the Sardinian airline Alisarda, which in turn merged with Spanish carrier Universair in 1991 to form Meridiana.
The new Air Italy has put in place an aggressive rebranding and expansion program, aiming to attract up to 10 million passengers by 2022. It plans to double the size of the fleet by 202, commencing with the acquisition of 20 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, together with Airbus A330-200s and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.
The newly branded carrier also intends to expand its routes domestically with new connections between Milan and Rome, Naples, Palermo, Catania and Lamezia Terme by May this year. Internationally, the carrier will be aiming to open new international flights with a daily service from Milan to New York, and four flights a week from Milan to Miami, both starting in June, and from September, four flights weekly from Milan to Bangkok. Three additional long-haul flights should also be announced by the year end, while in 2019 there are plans to add long-haul flights from Rome.
Though Milan Malpensa is the airline’s international hub, its headquarters will remain in Olbia, Sardinia. The new airline plans to add several domestic connections to Sardinia in addition to two new direct flights to London and Moscow
Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways commented: “We’re working to build an efficient airline with high quality services that offers an alternative to Italians and to all international tourists who want to visit Italy.”