Alitalia
Alitalia was the flag carrier of Italy from 1947 until it ceased operations on 14 October 2021.[1] The airline operated domestic, European and intercontinental passenger services, together with cargo and aircraft-maintenance activities.
Its principal hub was Rome Fiumicino Airport, with Milan Linate Airport serving as an important base for domestic and European flights.
Alitalia used the IATA code AZ, the ICAO code AZA, and the callsign ALITALIA.
The name Alitalia combined the Italian words ali, meaning wings, and Italia.
Over more than seven decades, Alitalia became closely associated with Italian civil aviation and operated aircraft including the Douglas DC-8, Boeing 747, McDonnell Douglas MD-80, Airbus A320 family and Boeing 777.
History
Establishment
Alitalia was established on 16 September 1946 as Aerolinee Italiane Internazionali.
The company was created through an agreement involving the Italian government and British European Airways. Its initial ownership was divided between Italian interests and the British airline.
Alitalia began operations on 5 May 1947 with a flight from Turin to Catania through Rome. The service was operated using a Fiat G.12 aircraft.
Its early fleet included:
Fiat G.12
Savoia-Marchetti SM.95
Avro Lancastrian
Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-4
Initial routes connected major Italian cities and selected international destinations.
First intercontinental services
Alitalia began operating intercontinental flights during the late 1940s.
An early service connected Milan with cities in South America using the Savoia-Marchetti SM.95. The route required several intermediate stops and took multiple days to complete.
The airline later expanded into additional European, African and Middle Eastern markets.
Merger with Linee Aeree Italiane
Italy's post-war airline industry included both Alitalia and Linee Aeree Italiane, commonly abbreviated to LAI.
The two companies merged on 31 October 1957 to form Alitalia–Linee Aeree Italiane.
The enlarged airline inherited LAI aircraft, employees and routes. The merger created a larger national airline capable of expanding its domestic and international network.
Aircraft inherited or introduced around this period included:
Douglas DC-6
Convair 340
Convair 440
Vickers Viscount
Introduction of jet aircraft
Alitalia entered the jet age in 1960 with the introduction of the Sud Aviation Caravelle and Douglas DC-8.
The Caravelle was used primarily on European and regional routes, while the DC-8 operated intercontinental services.
The new aircraft significantly reduced journey times and supported the expansion of Alitalia's international network.
By the early 1960s, the airline served destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Rome Fiumicino Airport
Rome Fiumicino Airport opened in 1961 and became Alitalia's principal hub.
The airline transferred much of its operation from Rome Ciampino Airport to the new facility.
Fiumicino developed into the centre of Alitalia's long-haul, connecting and maintenance operations.
1960 Rome Olympic Games
Alitalia served as an official airline of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome.
The event provided the airline with international exposure during a period of rapid expansion.
Alitalia carried athletes, officials and visitors to Italy and promoted itself as a symbol of the country's post-war development.
Boeing 747
Alitalia introduced the Boeing 747 in 1970.
The wide-body aircraft was used on major intercontinental routes, including services between Italy and North America.
Alitalia operated several versions of the Boeing 747 during the type's service history, including:
Boeing 747-100
Boeing 747-200
Boeing 747-200M
Boeing 747-400
The aircraft became one of the most recognisable types in the airline's fleet.
Fleet expansion
During the 1970s and 1980s, Alitalia expanded its network and introduced additional jet aircraft.
Types operated during this period included:
Boeing 727
Douglas DC-9
McDonnell Douglas MD-80
Airbus A300
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 became particularly important to Alitalia's domestic and European network.
Alitalia was one of the largest European operators of the MD-80 family.
Alitalia Cargo
Alitalia developed a dedicated cargo operation alongside its passenger network.
Freight was transported in the holds of passenger aircraft and aboard dedicated cargo aircraft.
Alitalia Cargo operated aircraft including the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F on routes linking Italy with destinations in Asia, Africa and North America.
The dedicated freighter operation ended in 2009, although cargo continued to be carried aboard passenger flights.
Papal flights
Alitalia frequently transported the pope on international journeys beginning during the papacy of Paul VI.
The outbound flight from Rome was traditionally operated by Alitalia, while the return journey was often provided by an airline associated with the destination country.
These flights were informally referred to by some media organisations as Shepherd One, although this was not an official callsign.
ITA Airways continued the tradition after Alitalia ceased operations.
Privatisation efforts
Alitalia remained controlled by the Italian state for much of its history.
The government began reducing its ownership through privatisation efforts during the 1990s.
Shares in the airline were offered to private investors, although the Italian state retained significant influence.
Alitalia experienced increasing competition from European network airlines and newly established low-cost carriers.
Partnership with KLM
Alitalia and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines formed a major commercial partnership during the late 1990s.
The airlines planned to coordinate their networks around hubs at Milan Malpensa and Amsterdam Schiphol.
The partnership ended in 2000 following disagreements over strategy and the development of Milan Malpensa Airport.
The collapse of the agreement led to legal action and compensation being paid by KLM.
SkyTeam
Alitalia joined the SkyTeam airline alliance in 2001.
Alliance membership allowed the airline to coordinate connections and passenger benefits with other member airlines.
Eligible passengers could receive benefits including:
Airport lounge access
Priority check-in
Priority boarding
Additional baggage
Priority baggage handling
Coordinated connecting flights
Alitalia remained a SkyTeam member until it ceased operations in October 2021.
Air France–KLM investment
Air France–KLM developed a close commercial relationship with Alitalia.
The group acquired a minority interest in the reorganised airline in 2009 and participated in joint commercial activities.
Air France–KLM was considered as a potential long-term partner or acquirer on several occasions, but a complete combination was not completed.
Financial difficulties
Alitalia experienced recurring financial losses for much of its later history.
Factors included:
High operating costs
Strong competition
Labour disputes
Political intervention
Fuel prices
Fragmented fleet planning
Competition from high-speed rail
Growth of low-cost airlines
Weak profitability on some routes
The airline underwent repeated restructuring programmes but struggled to establish sustainable profitability.
Alitalia–Linee Aeree Italiane insolvency
The original Alitalia company entered extraordinary administration in 2008.
A group of Italian investors formed Compagnia Aerea Italiana, commonly abbreviated to CAI, to acquire selected assets from Alitalia.
CAI also acquired Air One, an Italian airline that had competed with Alitalia.
The old company's operations ended and a reorganised Alitalia began flying in January 2009.
Merger with Air One
Air One was integrated into the reorganised Alitalia operation.
The acquisition added:
Airbus A320-family aircraft
Domestic and European routes
Airport slots
Employees
An additional customer base
Air One continued as a lower-fare brand for selected services before being discontinued in 2014.
The merged company adopted the legal name Alitalia–Compagnia Aerea Italiana.
Fleet renewal
The reorganised airline renewed parts of its fleet with Airbus and Embraer aircraft.
Older Boeing 737, Boeing 767 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft were progressively withdrawn.
The short- and medium-haul fleet became centred on the Airbus A320 family, while Embraer regional jets were operated by Alitalia CityLiner.
The principal long-haul fleet included:
Airbus A330-200
Boeing 777-200ER
Boeing 777-300ER
Etihad Airways investment
Etihad Airways acquired a 49% interest in a newly reorganised Alitalia in 2014.
The investment formed part of Etihad's strategy of purchasing minority interests in airlines around the world.
The new company, Alitalia–Società Aerea Italiana, began operations on 1 January 2015.
Etihad's involvement included:
Financial investment
Network coordination
Aircraft and route changes
Updated cabins
Revised branding
Shared purchasing and commercial arrangements
Alitalia introduced an updated livery and visual identity during this period.
Expo 2015
Alitalia and Etihad Airways served as official global airline carriers for Expo 2015 in Milan.
The event was used to promote Alitalia's revised branding and international network.
A specially painted Airbus A330 carried a combined Alitalia, Etihad and Expo 2015 design.
Second extraordinary administration
Alitalia employees rejected a restructuring agreement in April 2017.
Following the vote, shareholders declined to provide further funding and the airline entered extraordinary administration in May 2017.
Etihad Airways ended further financial support.
The Italian government provided bridging loans while administrators searched for a purchaser or strategic partner.
Potential combinations involving airlines, railway companies and investment groups were discussed, but no lasting transaction was completed.
Government ownership
The Italian government took control of Alitalia in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic placed further pressure on the airline.
A new state-owned company named Italia Trasporto Aereo, commonly known as ITA, was established.
The European Commission required ITA Airways to be economically separate from Alitalia rather than automatically inheriting the entire business.
COVID-19 pandemic
Alitalia substantially reduced passenger operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travel restrictions and declining demand led to the suspension of numerous routes.
The airline continued operating selected domestic and international flights, repatriation services and cargo missions.
Passenger aircraft were also used to transport medical supplies.
End of operations
Alitalia operated its final commercial flights on 14 October 2021.
The final arrival was commonly reported as flight AZ1586, which operated from Cagliari to Rome Fiumicino.
The airline ceased selling tickets for travel after the closure date.
ITA Airways began operations on 15 October 2021 using a smaller fleet and workforce.
Alitalia left SkyTeam when its operations ended.
Relationship with ITA Airways
ITA Airways replaced Alitalia as Italy's state-backed flag carrier, but was established as a legally and economically separate company.
ITA acquired selected Alitalia assets, including aircraft, airport slots and parts of its operation through separate processes.
The new airline did not automatically assume all of Alitalia's debts, contracts or employees.
Alitalia brand
ITA Airways acquired the Alitalia name and associated brand rights through an auction in October 2021.
The purchase was valued at approximately €90 million.
ITA initially continued operating under its own name rather than immediately restoring the Alitalia identity.
The Alitalia brand was later used alongside ITA Airways branding as part of the airline group's commercial identity.
MilleMiglia
Alitalia's MilleMiglia frequent-flyer programme was not directly transferred to ITA Airways.
ITA created a new loyalty programme called Volare.
Existing MilleMiglia members were therefore not automatically moved into the new programme with their previous mileage balances.
Corporate affairs
Final ownership
At the time it ceased operations, Alitalia was controlled by the Italian government and operated under extraordinary administration.
The government had previously supported the airline through loans and other restructuring measures.
Headquarters
Alitalia's final headquarters were located in Fiumicino near Rome Fiumicino Airport.
The location placed the airline's management close to its principal passenger, cargo and maintenance operations.
Principal activities
Alitalia's business included:
Scheduled passenger services
Charter services
Cargo transportation
Aircraft maintenance
Ground handling
Loyalty services
Regional flights
Several associated businesses were reorganised, sold or separated during the airline's restructuring processes.
Hubs and bases
Rome Fiumicino Airport
Rome Fiumicino Airport was Alitalia's principal hub.
The airport supported domestic, European and intercontinental connections.
Alitalia operated a banked schedule designed to connect passengers between regional arrivals and long-haul departures.
The airline maintained lounges, crew facilities, maintenance functions and administrative operations at the airport.
Milan Linate Airport
Milan Linate Airport was an important base for domestic and short-haul business services.
Its location close to central Milan made it popular with business travellers.
Alitalia operated frequent services between Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino before competition from high-speed rail reduced demand.
Milan Malpensa Airport
Milan Malpensa Airport was developed as a major Alitalia hub during the late 1990s.
The airline transferred numerous international services to Malpensa as part of a wider government airport strategy.
Alitalia later reduced its hub operation there after the planned partnership with KLM ended and the network proved difficult to sustain.
The airport remained part of Alitalia's network but no longer served as a major connecting hub.
Other bases
Alitalia maintained important operations at airports including:
Milan Malpensa Airport
Naples International Airport
Catania–Fontanarossa Airport
Venice Marco Polo Airport
Turin Airport
The scale of each operation changed during different periods of the airline's history.
Route network
Alitalia operated domestic and international services across:
Europe
North Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
The Middle East
Asia
North America
South America
Its domestic network connected Rome and Milan with cities across mainland Italy, Sicily and Sardinia.
Long-haul services were concentrated at Rome Fiumicino.
North America
Alitalia operated services to North American destinations including:
Boston
Chicago
Los Angeles
Miami
New York
Toronto
Washington, D.C.
New York was one of the airline's most important intercontinental markets.
South America
South America formed an important part of Alitalia's long-haul network because of historic migration links between Italy and the region.
Destinations included:
Buenos Aires
São Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
Santiago
Asia
Alitalia served selected destinations in Asia, including:
Delhi
Mumbai
Tokyo
Beijing
Shanghai
Seoul
The size of its Asian network varied considerably during different periods.
Africa and the Middle East
Alitalia maintained extensive links between Italy and North Africa.
Destinations served during its history included:
Algiers
Cairo
Casablanca
Dakar
Johannesburg
Lagos
Tel Aviv
Tunis
The airline also operated routes to several destinations in the Middle East.
Partnerships
Codeshare agreements
Alitalia maintained codeshare agreements with airlines inside and outside SkyTeam.
These agreements allowed Alitalia to sell selected partner-operated services using an Alitalia flight number.
Partners included airlines from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.
Transatlantic joint venture
Alitalia participated in a transatlantic joint venture with Air France, KLM and Delta Air Lines.
The airlines coordinated selected schedules, fares and commercial activities between Europe and North America.
Alitalia's participation was later reduced as its financial and ownership structure changed.
Alitalia CityLiner
Alitalia CityLiner was Alitalia's regional airline.
It operated lower-capacity domestic and European flights using regional aircraft.
CityLiner developed from Air One CityLiner and became part of the reorganised Alitalia group.
Its fleet included:
Embraer E175
Embraer E190
Flights were marketed under Alitalia flight numbers and connected smaller cities with Rome Fiumicino and other major airports.
CityLiner ceased operations alongside Alitalia in October 2021.
Fleet
At the end of its operations, Alitalia used Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft.
Airbus A320-family aircraft operated most domestic and European services. Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft operated long-haul routes.
| Aircraft family | Typical role |
| Airbus A319 | Domestic and European services |
| Airbus A320 | Domestic and European services |
| Airbus A321 | Higher-capacity European services |
| Airbus A330-200 | Long-haul services |
| Boeing 777-200ER | Long-haul services |
| Boeing 777-300ER | High-capacity long-haul services |
| Embraer E175 | Regional services |
| Embraer E190 | Regional services |
The Embraer aircraft were operated by Alitalia CityLiner.
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family formed the core of Alitalia's short- and medium-haul fleet.
The airline operated the:
Airbus A319
Airbus A320
Airbus A321
These aircraft progressively replaced Boeing 737 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 equipment.
Airbus A330
Alitalia operated the Airbus A330-200 on long-haul routes.
The aircraft was introduced following the merger with Air One and was used on services to North America, South America, Africa and Asia.
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 was Alitalia's principal long-haul aircraft during its final years.
The airline operated the Boeing 777-200ER and leased a single Boeing 777-300ER.
The type served high-demand routes from Rome Fiumicino.
Former fleet
Alitalia operated a wide range of aircraft during its history.
Former aircraft included:
Airbus A300
Boeing 707
Boeing 727
Boeing 737
Boeing 747
Boeing 767
Convair 340
Convair 440
Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-6
Douglas DC-7
Douglas DC-8
Douglas DC-9
Fiat G.12
Lockheed Constellation
Lockheed Super Constellation
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
McDonnell Douglas MD-80
Savoia-Marchetti SM.95
Sud Aviation Caravelle
Vickers Viscount
The airline also used dedicated cargo and combi versions of several aircraft.
Passenger cabins
Magnifica
Magnifica was Alitalia's long-haul Business Class product.
Features included:
A lie-flat seat on equipped aircraft
Priority check-in
Airport lounge access
Additional baggage
Premium meals and drinks
Priority boarding
Priority baggage delivery
The exact seat design varied between the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 fleets.
Premium Economy
Premium Economy was offered on selected long-haul aircraft.
The cabin provided wider seats, additional legroom and enhanced catering compared with Economy Class.
Economy Class
Economy Class was available throughout the Alitalia fleet.
Long-haul services generally included:
Meals and drinks
Personal in-flight entertainment
Cabin baggage
Checked baggage according to the fare
Seat selection options
Short-haul service varied according to route and ticket conditions.
MilleMiglia
MilleMiglia was Alitalia's frequent-flyer programme.
Its name translated approximately as one thousand miles.
Members earned miles through eligible Alitalia flights, partner airlines, hotels, car hire and other commercial partners.
Miles could be redeemed for:
Reward flights
Cabin upgrades
Partner services
Additional travel benefits
Elite levels provided benefits including priority airport services, lounge access and additional baggage.
The programme remained legally separate from ITA Airways and was not directly converted into the Volare programme.
Airport lounges
Alitalia operated lounges under the Casa Alitalia name.
The lounges were available at Rome Fiumicino and selected other airports.
Access was generally provided to:
Eligible Business Class passengers
Qualifying MilleMiglia members
Eligible SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers
Facilities included food, drinks, Wi-Fi, work areas and seating.
Branding
Name
The name Alitalia combined ali, meaning wings, with Italia.
It was originally a popular shortened form of the company's full legal name before becoming its principal commercial identity.
Logo
Alitalia's best-known logo used a stylised green letter A with a red triangular centre.
The design was introduced during the late 1960s and was updated several times.
Its colours reflected the green, white and red of the Italian flag.
Livery
For much of its history, Alitalia aircraft carried a white fuselage with a green cheatline and red details.
The tail displayed the stylised A logo.
A revised livery introduced during the Etihad Airways investment period retained the Italian colours while using a pearl-white fuselage and a more prominent tail design.
Italian identity
Alitalia promoted Italian fashion, food, design and hospitality as central parts of its international identity.
The airline worked with Italian fashion houses and designers on uniforms and cabin products.
Companies and designers associated with Alitalia uniforms included:
Sorelle Fontana
Mila Schön
Giorgio Armani
Mondrian
Alberta Ferretti
Accidents and incidents
Flight 618
On 26 February 1960, Alitalia Flight 618 crashed shortly after departing Shannon Airport in Ireland.
The Douglas DC-7 was operating a service from Rome to New York with intermediate stops.
Most of the passengers and crew members were killed.
Flight 771
On 7 July 1962, Alitalia Flight 771 crashed while approaching Bombay, now Mumbai.
The Douglas DC-8 struck terrain during its descent.
All passengers and crew members were killed.
Flight 112
On 5 May 1972, Alitalia Flight 112 crashed into Mount Longa while approaching Palermo in Sicily.
The Douglas DC-8 was operating from Rome.
All 115 passengers and crew members were killed.
It remains one of the deadliest aviation accidents in Italy.
Flight 404
On 14 November 1990, Alitalia Flight 404 crashed near Zürich Airport in Switzerland.
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 struck terrain while approaching the airport.
All 46 passengers and crew members were killed.
The investigation identified a faulty navigation receiver and failures in crew monitoring and response.
Flight 1553
On 25 February 1999, Alitalia Flight 1553 overran the runway while landing at Genoa Airport.
The Dornier 328 was operated by Minerva Airlines on behalf of Alitalia.
The aircraft entered the sea beyond the runway. Several occupants were killed.
Hijackings and security events
Alitalia aircraft were involved in several hijackings and security incidents during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Most ended without the loss of the aircraft, although some involved injuries, arrests or lengthy negotiations.
Legacy
Alitalia was Italy's principal national airline for 74 years.
Its aircraft, branding and advertising became widely recognised symbols of Italian aviation.
The airline helped connect post-war Italy with international markets and carried millions of passengers between Italy and destinations around the world.
Its repeated financial crises also became a prominent example of the difficulties faced by state-supported European airlines during deregulation and the growth of low-cost competition.
ITA Airways inherited part of Alitalia's commercial role, but was established as a separate company with a smaller initial workforce, fleet and network.
See also
ITA Airways
Alitalia CityLiner
Air One
Rome Fiumicino Airport
Milan Linate Airport
SkyTeam
List of defunct airlines of Italy
Aviation in Italy