Meridiana renames to Air Italy

Meridiana has renamed to Air Italy after an organisation reshuffle inside the Meridiana management. Meridiana will fully merge with Air Italy, its former subsidiary and both airlines are now operating under one air operators certificate. The airline plans to operate as the Italian flag carrier if Alitalia, the current national carrier, is to cease operations.

Meridiana was an Italian-based airline operating scheduled and charter flights to and from Italy. It operated a fleet of 11 aircraft which flew to 66 destinations. Qatar Airways was the minority stakeholder, with 49% ownership. The gulf major, which had the permission to do so, renamed the airline to Air Italy which is competing against Alitalia, owned by gulf rival, Etihad. The Italian flag carrier, Alitalia, is said to have been a bad investment by Etihad Airways as Alitalia has gone bankrupt, and Etihad facing financial issues. Though the Italian airline is still operational, Alitalia is generating a loss and is looking for someone to buy its assets after Etihad sold its stake in the airline.

Air Italy was an airline which started operations in 2005 and commenced operations with a flight from Turin, Italy to Budapest, Hungary. In 2007 and 2008, Air Italy acquired 3 Boeing 767s for expansion into leisure destinations. The airline operated flights throughout Italy including flights to Milan Malpensa, Venice and Naples with its domestic fleet of Boeing 737s. Additionally, it previously owned 2 subsidiaries which later ceased operations. These included Air Italy Egypt and Air Italy Poland operating in the stated countrys respectively. In July 2011 it was acquired by Meridiana and recently completed the merger. Many people still search Meridiana to book flights, but now you will be redirected to the very stylish and new-looking Air Italy website.

The new 'Air Italy' will start by doubling its fleet to 50 aircraft after Qatar Airways injected a large amount of money to acquire new aircraft for the Italian carrier. The airline will soon have 20 new Boeing 737MAX aircraft which will eventually be accompanied by A330s and 787s. Qatar Airways is supplying the A330s as it is phasing the type out of its own fleet, replacing them with A350s and other aircraft.

Air Italy is now the second biggest carrier in Italy after Alitalia, but with the current flag carrier, Alitalia on the verge of ceasing operations, could Air Italy succeed as Italy's future flag carrier?