Volotea (Barcelona) has selected Venice as its first operating base with three Boeing 717s. Scheduled operations are due to begin on April 5. The first routes will connect Venice with Brindisi, Cagliari and Palermo.

The pictured former Midwest Airlines and Mexicana Click Boeing 717-2BL N923ME (msn 55185) above departing from Palma de Mallorca arrived at Palma from Victorville, CA where it had been in storage since January 23, 2011. Two more 717s are currently at Jacksonville (Cecil Field) awaiting the final trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Volotea name is derived from the Spanish verb revolotear meaning “to fly around”.

Volotea is a new company owned by Alaeo SL, a company headed by Carlos Muñoz (the founder of Vueling Airlines).  Munoz began the process almost a year ago of creating the new airline. The project has also involved staff from the former Quantum Air, as this airline was the last Boeing 717 operator in Spain.

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Copyright Photo: Javier Rodriguez.