Founded in 1947, Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A., operating as Alitalia, is the flag carrier and largest airline of Italy. The company has its head office in Fiumicino, Rome. The airline is fully owned by the Government of Italy since 17 March 2020 following years of not turning a profit. But on 24 August 2021, Alitalia announced that it will cease revenue flights after 14 October 2021, the airline has plans to reincorporate itself under a new name ITA - Italia Trasporto Aereo. The new airline intends to commence operations on 15 October 2021. With this announcement, Italy and Europe sadly turn a historical page of its major companies (after Sabena and Swissair in the early 2000s)
History
Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. was established on 16 September 1946 as Aerolinee Italiane Internazionali (Italian International Airlines). It was formed as a result of an Anglo-Italian agreement and was funded by the Italian government and British European Airways (BEA) in a 60/40 share arrangement. Its popular name, Alitalia, blended the Italian words ali (wings) and Italia (Italy). It started operations on 5 May 1947, in which year it carried over 10,000 passengers. The inaugural flight was with a Fiat G.12 Alcione, piloted by Virginio Reinero from Turin to Catania and Rome.
The first intercontinental flight left a year later, flying between Milan and cities in South America. The Savoia-Marchetti SM.95 four engined airliner was used on European routes up to 1949. On 31 October 1957, Alitalia merged with Linee Aeree Italiane and took on the name of Alitalia – Linee Aeree Italiane.
By 1960 Alitalia was operating jet airliners on some European routes (the Sud Caravelle) and the Douglas DC-8 on several longer distance routes. The Vickers Viscount propeller-turbine four-engined airliner was flown by Alitalia on its European network throughout the 1960s.
By the 1990s Alitalia was carrying 25 million passengers annually. In 1997 it set up a regional subsidiary Alitalia Express and in 2001 became a member of SkyTeam. In June 2014, the Abu Dhabi-based UAE national airline Etihad Airways announced it was taking a 49% stake in Alitalia.
On 25 April 2017, after Alitalia employees rejected job-cuts proposal aimed at reducing costs, the airline announced that it will start going through a bankruptcy process, beginning with the appointment of an administrator. On 17 March 2020 the Italian government took full control over the airline after talks with a number of Italian and international companies failed to agree with terms of them being shareholders of the airline. On 24 August 2021, Alitalia announced its ending all ticket sales on their website and announced customers who purchased tickets for flights after 15 October 2021 will be refunded.
FLEET
Farewell Gallery of Alitalia "Long Range" Aircraft
Farewell Gallery of Alitalia "Medium Range" Aircraft
Farewell Gallery of Alitalia "Short Range" Aircraft
