On Thursday evening, Alitalia ended its operations after a turbulent 74-year history. AZ1586 from Cagliari to Rome was the airline’s final commercial flight, operated with an Airbus A320 (EI-DSV). On Friday morning, ITA Airways’ first flight took off from Milan heading to Bari as ITY1637 as a new chapter begins for Italy’s new flag carrier.
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The new Alitalia will be called ITA Airways and not Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA), as previously known. The announcement was made today, October 15th, during a press conference held by the new airline’s officials. The basic color on the fuselage will be blue. For now, the aircraft will fly with the Alitalia livery, but when the new jets arrive a tricolor band will pop up on the tail.
What will happen to Alitalia brand? It will end up in the drawers of the offices of the new company, which paid 90 million EUR to buy it (together with the website alitalia.com) to keep it from being taken over by other rivals. The new website will be ita-airways.com. ITA Airways picks up where Alitalia left off and will have a fleet of Airbus aircraft (A220, A320neo, A321neo, A330-900) to be delivered between 2022-2025. More details about ITA Airways.
According to Alfredo Altavilla, ITA Airways’ Chairman, the new company is seeking a deal with a larger airline by the end of 2022. ITA Airways has employed only around 2,800 of the almost 11,000 Alitalia staff. Initially it will serve 44 destinations, rising to 74 by 2025. Tickets are on sale for US destinations, which ITA Airways will launch over the coming months, to destinations including New York JFK, Miami, Boston and Los Angeles, with more long-haul flights expected next spring, including Buenos Aires and São Paulo. Additional details here (in Italian).
The new Alitalia will be called ITA Airways. The basic color on the fuselage will be blue. For now, the aircraft will fly with the Alitalia livery, but when the new jets arrive a tricolor band will pop up on the tail. Pics & info via @leonard_berberi: https://t.co/6Zfy3hQ4A3 1/2 pic.twitter.com/KPUMo1E1g4
— Aeronews (@AeronewsGlobal) October 15, 2021
Colpo di scena: Ita sarà #ItaAirways e non #Alitalia. Il brand è stato comprato non per essere rilanciato ma per non farlo finire nelle mani rivali. “Volare” è il nuovo programma fedeltà – I dettagli sul @Corriere https://t.co/PD9ZbYqUgT
— Leonard Berberi (@leonard_berberi) October 15, 2021
Adiós #Alitalia, bienvenida #ItaAirways https://t.co/zJ3GjHkHG7 pic.twitter.com/WaAcQjsreA
— Graciela Cutuli (@gedece) October 15, 2021
Si chiamerà #ItaAirways, e sarà azzurrissima: ecco il brand e la livrea della nuova compagnia di bandiera pic.twitter.com/0UQIB8GWwc
— Guida Viaggi (@GvLive) October 15, 2021
Another shocking twist. ALITALIA is indeed no more. ITA bought the branding as a seemingly protective move so no other entity would have it. The new Italian Flag Carrier will be called ITA Airways and this is the new livery below. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/8FfhfWW7lF
— Vincenzo Pace (@aerovincenzo) October 15, 2021
