Alitalia
History
Alitalia – Società Aerea Italiana, operating as Alitalia, is the flag carrier of Italy. The company has its head office in Fiumicino, Rome, Italy. Its main hub is Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, Rome, and a secondary is Linate Airport, Milan. Other focus airports are Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, Milan Malpensa Airport, Palermo Airport and Naples Airport.
The name "Alitalia" is an Italian portmanteau of the words ali (wings), and Italia (Italy). The airline is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and the airline's logo is a stylized depiction of the Italian flag.
Early Years (1946–1957)
Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane was established on 16 September 1946 as Aerolinee Italiane Internazionali. It was formed as a result of an Anglo-Italian "Pact of the Skies" agreement signed in Rome on 8 July 1946, which provided for the operation of air services between the two countries. The Italian Government granted Alitalia the exclusive right to operate international air services.
Merger with Linee Aeree Italiane (1957–2008)
In 1957, Alitalia merged with Linee Aeree Italiane (LAI), a state-owned airline that operated services to European destinations. The merger resulted in a single national airline, which became known as Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane. The new airline operated a fleet of Douglas DC-8s and Caravelles, and introduced services to a number of new destinations.
Bankruptcy and Reestablishment (2008–2014)
In 2008, Alitalia filed for bankruptcy protection, a process that led to the airline's assets being split between a new company, Alitalia – Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI), and a "bad company" containing the airline's debts and less valuable assets. The new Alitalia started operations on 13 January 2009, after the purchase of the profitable assets of the old Alitalia – Linee Aeree Italiane and Air One.
Etihad Airways Partnership (2014–2017)
In 2014, Etihad Airways announced it would take a 49% stake in Alitalia. As part of the deal, Etihad injected €560 million into the company and made a commitment to a three-year business plan for the airline, which included network optimization and cost reduction measures.
Second Bankruptcy and Relaunch as ITA Airways (2017–Present)
In 2017, Alitalia filed for bankruptcy for the second time in less than a decade. The Italian government provided a bridge loan to keep the airline operating and started seeking buyers. In 2020, the Italian government announced the creation of a new company, Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways), to replace Alitalia. ITA Airways began operations on 15 October 2021, marking the end of Alitalia after 75 years of operations.
Fleet
Alitalia operates a fleet of Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer aircraft. As of 2021, the fleet includes Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321-100, Airbus A330-200, Boeing 777-200ER, and Embraer 175 and 190 aircraft.
Destinations
Alitalia serves a network of routes from Italy to destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The airline's primary hub is at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, with secondary hubs in Milan and Venice.