ITA yesterday was awarded the Alitalia brand and website domain as previously reported. Now, the Alitalia brand doesn’t seem to matter.
Today, October 15, 2021, ITA launched operations as ITA Airways with their own brand, logo and livery.
Officially the new airline is Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A., doing business as ITA Airways.
ITA is operating with 18 Airbus A319-100s, 27 Airbus A320-200s and seven Airbus A330-200s.
ITA issued this statement:
The ITA Airways era has begun: the new Italian national airline is born, with a focus on efficiency and innovation, customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability. The company will fly with a new blue livery, a symbol of the country’s unity and pride, of sport and the Italian national team. On the rudder, the Italian tricolor; on the blue background, the red and white gold ITA Airways logo and stylized icons inspired by Italy’s artistic heritage. The Alitalia brand was acquired with the aim of managing the transition to the new livery and reserving the right to future uses of the brand.
“Today is the first day of a story yet to be written – said Alfredo Altavilla, President of ITA Airways – The new brand and the new livery of our aircraft are the symbol of change, of the beginning of a different adventure. The new national airline is an integral part of Italy’s recovery strategy, and it is a result to which all stakeholders, starting with the institutions involved, have actively contributed”.
The airline will operate with a network of 44 destinations and 59 routes – 191 flights in total (24 domestic and 56 international) – which will increase to 58 destinations and 74 routes in 2022 and 74 destinations and 89 routes in 2025. Charter flights were also launched, with the first Malpensa–Fiumicino flight carrying Italian champion Inter Milan.
ITA Airways will focus its activity on the Rome Fiumicino hub and the Milan Linate airport, where it will position itself as the reference airline for business and leisure traffic. Pending the identification of a Strategic Partner, ITA Airways will join SkyTeam. ‘Volare’ is the new loyalty program, with 4 levels: smart, plus, premium and executive. It will start with 52 aircraft (7 wide-body, 45 narrow-body) to grow to 78 in 2022, with the gradual inclusion of new-generation aircraft that will reach 75% by 2025, with 105 new aircraft. The agreement with Air Lease Corporation will provide for the leasing of an additional 31 new-generation Airbus aircraft – long-, medium- and short-haul.
“For every end there is always a new beginning – commented Fabio Lazzerini, CEO of ITA Airways – This is just the first step in an ambitious project: the creation of the new flagship airline that will connect our country to the world and represent it through the work of the women and men who are and will be part of it”.
More from the Associated Press via MarketWatch:
Video:
World Airline News 