{{Short description|Airline based in Fiumicino, Italy}} {{distinguish|Blue1|Blue Air}}{{Expand Italian|Blue Panorama Airlines|date=January 2021|topic=transp}} {{Infobox airline | airline = Blue Panorama Airlines<br>Luke Air | logo = Blue Panorama Airlines Logo.svg | logo_size = 250 | IATA = BV<ref name=iata>{{cite web|title=IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search|url=http://www.iata.org/publications/Pages/code-search.aspx|website=iata.org|access-date=11 April 2015}}</ref> | ICAO = BPA<ref name=enac>{{cite web|title=Elenco delle imprese titolari di licenza di trasporto aereo |url=http://www.enac.gov.it/La_Regolazione_Economica/Trasporto_Aereo/Licenze_di_Esercizio/Licenza_di_trasporto_aereo/info1084252587.html|website=enac.gov.it|access-date=11 April 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422163413/http://www.enac.gov.it/La_Regolazione_Economica/Trasporto_Aereo/Licenze_di_Esercizio/Licenza_di_trasporto_aereo/info1084252587.html|archive-date=22 April 2015}}</ref> | callsign = BLUE PANORAMA | aoc = | focus_cities = * Rome Fiumicino airport * Milan Malpensa airport *Bergamo | frequent_flyer = | alliance = Ukraine International Airlines | fleet_size = | destinations = | parent = Gruppo UVET | num_employees = 624 (in 2020) | founded = September 1998 | commenced = 26 December 1998 | ceased = 27 October 2021 | bases = * Rome Fiumicino airport * Milan Malpensa airport | subsidiaries = | headquarters = Fiumicino, Rome, Italy | key_people = Franco Pecci President 1998-2017 Luca Patanè President from 2017 | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = €2.7 Million (2018) | profit = | assets = | equity = | website = www.blue-panorama.com }} Blue Panorama Airlines<ref name=liquidation/> was an Italian scheduled and charter airline founded in Rome in 1998. Its main bases were Rome-Fiumicino and Milan-Malpensa airports. It operated charter flights, primarily in conjunction with trips organized by the tour operator Settemari.<ref name="Blue Panorama Airlines">{{cite web|url=http://airlinesxl.com/europe/italy/blue_panorama_airlines.html|title=Blue Panorama Airlines|access-date=7 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102200035/http://www.airlinesxl.com/europe/italy/blue_panorama_airlines.html|archive-date=2014-11-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> Under the '''Blu-express''' brand<ref name="Blu Express - ch-aviation.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/airline.php?cha=BVE|title=Blu Express - ch-aviation.com|work=ch-aviation|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref>, it also operated medium- and short-haul low-cost flights. Business flights uwere operated under '''Executive Blue''' brand<ref>fonte: [http://www.executiveblue.com/internouk.html/ Executive Blue web site]{{dead link|date=November 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>. Due to financial constraints, it ceased operations on October 27, 2021<ref name=liquidation/>.
==History==
=== The beginning === thumb|left|Franco Pecci in 2011
'''Blue Panorama Airlines S.p.A.''' was a privately owned airline. It was founded in Rome in September 1998 by Franco Pecci, Sandro Giulianelli, and Antonio De Ponti<ref name="Blue Panorama Airlines"/>. At first it operated in cooperation with Astra Travel, a Rome-based tour operator. The company's purpose was to fly intercontinental, international, and domestic charter flights for tour operators, companies, and private customers<ref name="Blu Express - ch-aviation.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://centreforaviation.com/profiles/airlines/blue-panorama-airlines-bv|title=Profile on Blue Panorama Airlines - CAPA - Centre for Aviation|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref>.
Blue Panorama established operating bases at Rome-Fiumicino "Leonardo da Vinci" Airport and Milan-Malpensa Airport airports. Flights began at the end of December with two Boeing 737s. Charters related to religious pilgrimages, such as those carried out for Pastoraltour, were also of a certain importance. Scheduled flights began in September 2000, with a first one, a biweekly to Ukrainian capital Kiev<ref>{{cite journal |author=G. Endres & Air Transport Intelligence |title="World Airlines" |journal=Flight International Directory |issue=2001 |location=Baintree (Essex - U.K.)}}</ref> and, immediately after, to Barcelona. The airline was admitted to IATA membership in 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iata.org/about/members/Pages/airline-list.aspx|title=IATA - Current Airline Members|author=IATA|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airlines-inform.com/world_airlines/Blue_Panorama_Airlines.html|title=Blue Panorama Airlines|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref>. The first Boeing 767-300ERs were delivered in 2002. In that same year, the air carrier ownership passed to the Distal & ITR Group (66.6%), owned by Franco Pecci family<ref>{{cite journal |author=G. Endres & Air Transport Intelligence |title="World Airlines" |journal=Flight International Directory |issue=2002 |publisher=Reed Business Information Ltd.}}</ref>.
=== Low-cost subsidiary === Since November 2005, some Boeing 737s operated under the low-cost brand '''Blu-Express''' from Rome and Milan, both domestically and internationally, to around twenty destinations, some of which were seasonal<ref name="Blu Express - ch-aviation.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/airline.php?cha=BVE|title=Blu Express - ch-aviation.com|work=ch-aviation|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref>.
Between 2011 and 2012, Blue Panorama attracted interest from Alitalia<ref>{{cite web |author= |title=Alitalia plans merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/alitalia-plans-merger-with-blue-panorama-and-wind-jet-367399/ |access-date=7 June 2015 |website=Reed Business Information Limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://centreforaviation.com/news/alitalia-to-merge-with-wind-jet-and-blue-panorama-airlines-138271|title=Alitalia to merge with Wind Jet and Blue Panorama Airlines|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eturbonews.com/27790/integration-blue-panorama-wind-jet-and-alitalia|title=Airline merger The integration of Blue Panorama, Wind Jet and Alitalia - eTurboNews.com|access-date=7 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924003255/http://www.eturbonews.com/27790/integration-blue-panorama-wind-jet-and-alitalia|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smartbrief.com/02/01/12/alitalia-blue-panorama-and-wind-jet-plan-merge#.UjcRYMaGG24|title=Alitalia, Blue Panorama and Wind Jet plan to merge|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldairlinenews.com/2012/02/01/alitalia-moves-ahead-with-a-merger-with-blue-panorama-and-wind-jet/|title=Alitalia moves ahead with a merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet|work=World Airline News|date=February 2012 |access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aviatime.com/en/commercial-aviation/commercial-aviation-news/operators/968-alitalia-plans-merger-with-blue-panorama-and-wind-jet.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130925150959/http://www.aviatime.com/en/commercial-aviation/commercial-aviation-news/operators/968-alitalia-plans-merger-with-blue-panorama-and-wind-jet.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 September 2013 |title=Alitalia plans merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet |access-date=7 June 2015 }}</ref>. The proposed acquisition raised concerns from ENAC (Italian civil aviation authority) due to the alleged risk of a dominant position<ref>{{cite web|url=http://centreforaviation.com/news/integration-of-wind-jet-operations-with-alitalia-receives-board-approval-150650|title=Integration of Wind Jet operations with Alitalia receives board approval|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avionews.com/index.php?corpo=see_news_home.php&news_id=1139579&pagina_chiamante=index.php|title=Avionews.com - Alitalia will integrate Wind Jet: operation approved|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref>. In April 2012, the failure to reach an integration agreement was announced. On 25 November 2013, Blu-express started flights from Italy to Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza after Belle Air ceased operations<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Regions-and-countries/Albania/Albania-Belle-Air-stops-flights-144980|title=Albania, Belle Air stops flights|author=Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso|work=Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso|access-date=7 June 2015|author-link=Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/belle-air-ceases-operations|title=Belle Air ceases operations - Business Traveller|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref>.
Partly due to this unexpected situation, the company ran into difficulties in 2012 and, after a period of bankruptcy proceedings, was placed under extraordinary administration by the Rome Court in 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aviationbrief.com/?p=9982|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130925151033/http://www.aviationbrief.com/?p=9982|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 25, 2013|title=Italy's Blue Panorama enters bankruptcy protection|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://volaspheric.blogspot.it/2012/10/blue-panorama-filed-for-bankruptcy.html|title=volaspheric|author=N. Tchallabes|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldairlinenews.com/2012/10/30/blue-panorama-airlines-enters-into-bankruptcy-protection-and-reorganization/|title=Blue Panorama Airlines enters into bankruptcy protection and reorganization|work=World Airline News|date=30 October 2012|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://volaspheric.blogspot.de/2012/10/blue-panorama-filed-for-bankruptcy.html|title=volaspheric|author=N. Tchallabes|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/news/13974-blue-panorama-applies-for-bankruptcy-protection-continues-operations|title=Blue Panorama applies for bankruptcy protection, continues operations|work=ch-aviation|access-date=7 June 2015}}</ref>. The management of the airline was left to the company's founder Franco Pecci. After a couple of unsuccessful sales attempts, at the end of 2017 Blue Panorama was acquired by UVET Group, which had previously acquired Settemari. In 2019, UVET announced that it would purchase several Airbus A330-200s for the subsidiary to replace its Boeing 767-300ERs. In October of the same year, Blue Panorama announced that it would change its identity, taking on the name '''Luke Air''' by the end of the year. A new livery was painted on the first Airbus A330-200, received in March 2020, while a second aircraft arrived in November. In October, the UVET Group received a €uros 45 million government compensation fund.
===The name change leads to nothing=== In January 2021, it was announced that the rebrand would go ahead<ref>[https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/99018-italys-blue-panorama-proceeds-with-rebranding ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama proceeds with rebranding] 6 January 2021</ref>. As of September, the airline's official website had its content changed to ''Luke Air operated by Blue Panorama Airlines''<ref name="luke">[https://www.blue-panorama.com/en blue-panorama.com]{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} retrieved 28 September 2021</ref>. However, the general situation had reached a point of uncontrollability. On October 27, 2021, Blue Panorama suspended all flight operations stating financial difficulties in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Milan Court admitted the airline to a composition with creditors procedure. The carrier was given until February 28, 2022, to find a solution. In June 2022, it was reported that the grounded airline had retired both of their Airbus A330-200s<ref name="a330retirement">[https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/116053-italys-blue-panorama-retires-both-a330s ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama retires both A330s] 3 June 2022</ref>. In September, ENAC extended the suspension of its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) until March 2023, but on December 15, the Milan Court issued a decree of "inadmissibility to the composition with creditors procedure", effectively ending the company's history. It was announced that the airline would be liquidated and not resume operations<ref name=liquidation>[https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/122828-italys-blue-panorama-ego-airways-to-be-liquidated ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama, EGO Airways to be liquidated] 23 December 2022</ref>.
==Destinations==
At the beginning of 2021, Blue Panorama Airlines operated to 41 destinations from both its main hub, Rome-Fiumicino "Leonardo da Vinci" Airport, and other Italian airports<ref>Blue Panorama brochure, 2006, Rome headquarters</ref>:
* Africa: Cape Verde, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, Tanzania. * Caribbeans: Bahamas, Cuba (Avana, Cayo Largo, Holguin, Santa Clara, Santiago), Dominican Republic (La Romana), Jamaica (Montego Bay), Mexico (Cancun). * Middle East: Egypt. * Europe: Albania, Greece (Corfu, Crete, Kefalonia, Kos, Mykonos, Preveza, Rhodes, Santorini, Skiathos, Zakyntos), Russia (Moscow), Spain (Ibiza, Minorca, Palma de Mallorca), Turkey (Bodrum).
Blu-express operated a network of Italian domestic destinations<ref>Blue Panorama brochure, 2006, Rome headquarters</ref>: Bari, Catania, Lampadusa Island, Milan, Palermo, Pantelleria Island, Reggio di Calabria, Rome, Turin.
===Codeshare agreements=== Blue Panorama Airlines maintained Codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
*Albawings<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.albawings.com/en/route-map|title=Route Map|website=www.albawings.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422181601/https://www.albawings.com/en/route-map|archive-date=2019-04-22|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Cubana de Aviación<ref name="Aeropuertos.net">{{cite web|url=https://www.aeropuertos.net/blue-panorama-airlines/|title=Blue Panorama Airlines|language=es|website=Aeropuertos.Net|date=11 June 2012|access-date=April 8, 2021}}</ref>
==Fleet== As of November 2022, the fleet included no aircraft. The following types have been operated in previous years<ref>{{cite book |last=Pedde |first=N. |date=2007 |title=Almanacco delle Linee Aeree Italiane 1947-2007 |publisher=GAN |location=Roma |language=Italian |isbn=978-88-89640-06-7}}</ref>:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center" |- !Aircraft !Total !Image !Introduced !Retired !Remarks |- |Airbus A330-200 |2 |150px |2019 |2022 |in the proposed Luke Air<ref name="a330retirement"/> livery |- |ATR 72-200 |1 | |2015 |2015 |leased from Avanti Air |- |rowspan=3|Boeing 737-300 |2 |150px |2000 |2000 |leased from Sterling European Airlines |- |2 | |2002 |2003 |leased from Ukraine International Airlines |- |1 |150px |2015 |2020 |Operated with '''bluexpress''' titles |- |Boeing 737-400 |16 |150px |1999 |2020 |some leased from Air Horizont and Hapag-Lloyd Flug 2 operated with '''bluexpress''' titles |- |Boeing 737-500 |1 |150px |2013 |2016 | |- |Boeing 737-800 |10 |150px |2000 |2022 | |- |Boeing 757-200 |2 |150px |2005 |2012 | |- |Boeing 767-300ER |10 |150px |2002 |2020 | |- |Piaggio P.180 Avanti |3 |150px |2009 |2014 |Operated under the "Executive Blue" brand. |}
==Accidents and incidents== *On 16 July 2004, a Boeing 767-300ER operating as Flight 1504 experienced an uncontained engine failure on takeoff from Rome-Fiumicino Airport. The plane returned and conducted a successful emergency landing. Investigation revealed that a high-pressure fuel hose leaked approximately {{convert|700|kg}} of fuel into the engine's nacelle during taxi, which ignited upon takeoff.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=174761|title=Accident Boeing 767-3G5ER EI-CXO, 16 Jul 2004}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/rJBlzal6g0k Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130604121304/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJBlzal6g0k&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]}}{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJBlzal6g0k| title = Air accident real voice recording and flight data|website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
*On 22 September 2018, a Blue Panorama Spanish pilot, Emilio Leone, was arrested by Albanian police as his colleagues reported him for trying to fly the aircraft intoxicated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://shqiptarja.com/lajm/ekskluzive-rinas-shmanget-tragjedia-ne-avionin-me-200-pasagjere-kapet-i-dehur-piloti-i-blue-panorama |website=Shqiptarja.com|title=Ekskluzive/ Rinas, shmanget tragjedia në avionin me 200 pasagjerë, kapet i dehur piloti i Blue Panorama - Shqiptarja }}</ref>
==In popular culture== *A Blue Panorama Boeing 757-200 and Boeing 767-300ER appeared in John Legend's music video for "Show Me".<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/W6fcyTEqkeo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100527223022/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6fcyTEqkeo Wayback Machine]}}{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6fcyTEqkeo| title = John Legend - Show Me (Official Video) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * M. & S. Iarossi (curators), ''Compagnie Aeree'' (in Italian language), EDAI, Firenze, 1999/2000 edition * "World Airline Directory", ''Flight International'' weekly magazine supplement, years 1999-2013, Reed Business Publications Ltd., U.K. * N. Pedde, ''Almanacco delle Linee Aeree Italiane 1947-2007'' (in Italian language), "Landra Helicus", GAN, Roma, 2007, {{ISBN|978-88-89640-06-7}} * "World Airline Guide", ''Airliner World'' monthly magazine supplement, years 2014-2019, Key Publishing, U.K.
==See also== *List of defunct airlines of Italy
==External links== {{Commonscat-inline|Blue Panorama Airlines}} * {{Official website}}
{{Portalbar|Italy|Companies|Aviation}} {{Airlines of Italy}} {{IATA members|europe}}
Category:Defunct airlines of Italy Category:Airlines established in 1998 Category:Airlines disestablished in 2022 Category:Italian companies established in 1998 Category:Italian brands Category:Companies based in Lazio