Meridiana

{{Short description|Privately owned Italian airline}} {{About|the Italian airline|the star|Alpha Coronae Australis}} {{use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox airline | airline = Meridiana S.p.A. | image = MeridianaflyLogo.png | image_size = | IATA = IG | ICAO = ISS | callsign = MERIDIANA | aoc = EY0F937F | founded = {{Start date|1963|03|29|df=y}} {{nowrap|as Alisarda}} | commenced = {{start date|1964|06|09|df=y}} {{nowrap|as Alisarda}} {{start date|1991|09|01|df=y}} {{nowrap|as Meridiana (Meridiana S.p.A.)}} {{start date|2010|02|df=y}} {{nowrap|as "Meridiana fly"}} | ceased = {{end date|df=yes|2018|02|28}} (reorganized into 2nd Air Italy) | hubs = *Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport | focus_cities = <div> *{{nowrap|Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (Rome)}} *Naples International Airport *Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport *Verona Villafranca Airport</div> | frequent_flyer = Meridiana Club (Part of Avios Loyalty program) | subsidiaries = *Air Italy (from 2011) *Meridiana Maintenance *Wokita | fleet_size = 11 | destinations = 66 | parent = AQA Holding | headquarters = Olbia, Sassari, Italy | key_people = Francesco Violante, President | website = {{URL|meridiana.com}} }}

'''Meridiana S.p.A.''', and later '''Meridiana fly''', was an Italian airline active in scheduled and charter air transport, operating on a national and international scale. The company's headquarters were located in Olbia (north-eastern Sardinia), while the main hub was Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport.<ref>Meridiana, Meridiana-who we are, on meridiana.it website</ref><ref>corporate brochure, Meridiana, Olbia, late 1991</ref> The airline, which since 2013 also fully controlled the fellow Italian airline Air Italy, was itself lately controlled by AQA Holding. On 1 March 2018, the air carrier changed its name to Air Italy, maintaining the same flight codes.

==History==

=== Alisarda's legacy ===

On 3 May 1991, the extraordinary shareholders' meeting of '''Alisarda''' resolved to change the company name to '''Meridiana S.p.A.''' effective 1 September, and a new logo was created. These changes were made to reflect the expansion of the company's operations to Europe. That same year, new national and international flights were inaugurated from Verona and Florence. A large hangar was built at the Tuscan capital's airport to house and maintain the recently delivered BAe.146s.<ref>corporate brochure, Meridiana, Olbia, late 1991</ref> The British four-engine aircraft immediately opened new routes from the Tuscan capital to Catania and Palermo.<ref>R. Baldini, "Firenze-Il cielo racconta", Edizioni Medicea, Firenze, 1993</ref> In 1992, the fleet consisted of 16 aircraft, including McDonnell Douglas MD-82s, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51s, and British Aerospace 146-200s. The company employed 1,414 people. That same year, it carried 1,932,000 passengers, generating an operating turnover of 342 billion Liras. By the end of the 1990s, passengers had risen to 3,075,000, reaching 3,531,000 in 2000. At the end of 1999 the company had a 17% Italian market share, 1,500 employees, 21 aircraft, and flew to 16 domestic destinations.<ref>Press documentation, Meridiana, Olbia, May 1998 {{fcn|date=May 2026}}</ref>

=== Two mergers in four years === [[File:Airbus A330-223, Eurofly JP6518789.jpg|thumb|left|An Airbus A330-200 operated by Eurofly]]

On 19 July 2011, a plan to integrate and acquire fellow Italian charter airline '''Air Italy''' was announced. In October, Meridiana fly completely acquired the airline.<ref>joint brochure, "Meridiana fly" & "Air Italy", late 2011, distributed at BIT Fair in Milan, February 2012</ref>

In January 2013, following unfavorable financial results and worsening debt, the Aga Khan regained control of the company, recapitalizing it with €uros 190 million. After an initial period of distinction between Meridiana fly and Air Italy, a rebranding process began in the following month of March. In April 2013, when the Air Italy Meridiana Fly returned to its former, shorter name, '''Meridiana'''.<ref>{{cite web |date=29 March 2013 |title=Meridiana drops "fly" brand name, Air Italy to become ACMI provider |publisher=ch-aviation |url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/news/17686-meridiana-drops-fly-brand-name-air-italy-to-become-acmi-provider}}</ref> The Group adopted a common livery and logo, ensuring that Air Italy and Meridiana fly operated together as airlines with the same commercial offering.<ref>"Meridiana drops "fly" brand name, Air Italy to become ACMI provider". ch-aviation. 29 March 2013.</ref> From then on, even though all flights were operated as Meridiana, two Air Operator Certificates (AOC) remained valid, with their respective operating structures, flight crews, and employment contracts. On 16 May, it launched the new frequent-flyer program Meridiana Club in partnership with Avios. Since 18 November 2014 Meridiana Club frequent flyers were able to earn Avios points on British Airways and from 23 March 2015 on Iberia. In that same December 2014, Meridiana retired its last Airbus aircraft, two A320-200s, to pursue the aim of operating an all Boeing fleet together with Air Italy.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 December 2014 |title=Italy's Meridiana fly retires last Airbus from service |publisher=ch-aviation |url=http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/33700-italys-meridiana-fly-retires-last-airbus-from-service}}</ref>

In 2015, the international flight schedule included the following destinations<ref>travel agencies information, Meridiana, Olbia, 5 October 2015</ref>: * from Ancona: Sharm-el-Sheikh * from Bergamo: Cabo Verde, Marsa Alam, Sharm-el-Sheikh * from Milan (Malpensa airport): Dakar, Fort-de-France, Fortaleza, Fuerteventura, Havana, La Romana, Malé, Marsa Alam, Mauritius, Mombasa, Natal, Pemba Island, Santa Clara, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Teneriffe, Varadero, Zanzibar * from Milan (Linate airport): Munich * from Neaples: London, Madrid * from Rome (Fiumicino airport): Fuerteventura, Marsa Alam, Mauritius, Mombasa, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Teneriffe, Zanzibar * from Verona: Cancun, Fuerteventura, Havana, Marsa Alam, Mombasa, Sharm-el-Sheikh

At the same time, the following Italian cities were connected to each other<ref>travel agencies information, Meridiana, Olbia, 5 October 2015</ref>: Bergamo, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Milan (both Linate and Malpensa airports), Neaples, Olbia, Rome, Turin. Verona.

=== AQA Holding and Qatar Airways partner ===

On 14 July 2016, an agreement was signed for '''Qatar Airways''' to purchase a stake in Meridiana fly.<ref>press release, Meridiana, Olbia, late July 2016</ref> The contract allowed the company to relaunch after years of crisis, thanks to an industrial plan aimed at repaying the Group's debt and growing the brand. On 28 September 2017, Qatar Airways officially acquired 49% of AQA Holding, established earlier that month by Alisarda S.p.A. to control the two airlines.<ref>press release, Meridiana, Olbia, 28 September 2017</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/economia/2017/09/28/news/meridiana_qatar_airways_rileva_il_49_perfezionata_l_operazione-176775729/|date=28 September 2017|title=Meridiana, Qatar Airways rivela il 49%. Perfezionata l'operazione|language=it|trans-title=Meridiana, 49% to Qatar Airways}}</ref> In the following December, the airline announced the restructuring of its network: all routes from Milan-Linate would be abolished with the exception of that to Olbia, while destinations from Milan-Malpensa to New York and Miami would be added, operated with Airbus A330-200s leased from Qatar Airways.<ref>"Meridiana fly announces first US routes, fleet growth", ch-aviation, 16 December 2017</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Lucky |date=7 November 2017 |title=Qatar Airways CEO: Meridiana To Rebrand As Air Italy |publisher=One Mile at a Time |url=http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2017/11/07/meridiana-air-italy/}}</ref> Meridiana further announced that it would become the first Italian airline to take delivery of Boeing 737 MAX 8s. It was also reported that new full-flat business class seats and in-flight Wi-fi would be installed on the new Airbus A330s to be received from Qatar Airways.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://www.meridiana.it/cms/deploy/1/IGGJ_InvestorRelations/EN/doc/investor_comunicatistampa/Press%20release%20Meridiana_14%2012%202017.pdf |title=Meridiana new summer 2018 network |date=14 December 2017 |publisher=Meridiana}}</ref>

=== Again Air Italy === thumb|right|Airbus A330-202

On 1 March 2018, Meridiana officially changed its name to '''Air Italy''' (2nd airline with this corporate name).<ref> "Qatar Airways CEO: Meridiana To Rebrand As Air Italy", One Mile at a Time, ''Lucky'', 7 November 2017)</ref><ref>press release, Air Italy, Olbia, 1 March 2018</ref> The change included a new livery and an increase in domestic and international destinations. All of this was intended to make the airline "Italy's national carrier".<ref>"Air Italy expands as UAE-backed Alitalia goes bankrupt", ''Al Jazeera'', retrieved 19 February 2018</ref> In reality, things turned out quite differently, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officially declared on 30 January 2020. As early as February 11, Air Italy resolved to go into voluntary liquidation and cease flight operations.<ref>press release, Air Italy, Olbia, 12 February 2020</ref>

== Corporate affairs ==

=== Head office === thumb|right|Meridiana Headquarters

Meridiana's head office was located at Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Olbia city, Sardinia, Italy.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

=== Subsidiaries === Meridiana had four subsidiaries.

* Air Italy (2005–2018) since April 2013 and which will become Meridiana name as from March 1, 2018 * '''Meridiana Maintenance S.p.A.''', the maintenance company estabilished after Meridiana merged with eurofly. The facilities were located at Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport, next to the Meridiana headquarter. * '''Wokita S.i.r''' was a tour operator that offered a wide and extensive range of tourist products such as package tours, flights, hotels, and resorts in seaside areas, yachting, and activity holidays since 2006. * '''Meridiana Air S.A.''', a Spanish 29% owned airline which firstly coordinated and later took over the operations of three local airlines<ref>"Costituita la nuova compagnia aerea spagnola Meridiana S.A.", ''Borsa e Finanza'', Milan, 1 April 1990</ref><ref>press information, Meridiana S.A., Madrid, June 1991</ref>

== Codeshare agreements == Meridiana codeshared with the following airlines<ref>{{cite web|url=http://centreforaviation.com/profiles/airlines/meridiana-ig |title=Profile on Meridiana |publisher=Centre for Aviation |access-date=2016-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030162703/http://centreforaviation.com/profiles/airlines/meridiana-ig |archive-date=2016-10-30|url-status=live}}</ref>: {{div col|colwidth=30em}} *Air Malta *Air Moldova *Blue Air *Blue Panorama Airlines *British Airways *Iberia *S7 Airlines {{div col end}}

== Fleet == At the time of change to Air Italy, Meridiana fleet consisted of the following aircraft<ref>{{cite web |title=The Fleet |publisher=Meridiana |url=https://www.meridiana.it/en-en/company_informations/fleet.aspx |access-date=10 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202043923/https://www.meridiana.it/en-en/company_informations/fleet.aspx |archive-date=2 February 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2" |Aircraft !rowspan="2" |In service !rowspan="2" |Orders !colspan="3" |Passengers !rowspan="2" |Notes |- ! <abbr title="Electa Club">J</abbr> ! <abbr title="Economy">Y</abbr> ! Total |- |Boeing 737-700 |1 |— |— |149 |149 |Transferred to Air Italy |- |Boeing 737-800 |7 |— |— |189 |189 |Transferred to Air Italy |- |rowspan="2"|Boeing 767-300ER |rowspan="2"|3 |rowspan="2"|— |12 |276 |288 |rowspan="2"|Transferred to Air Italy |- |— |304 |304 |- !Total !11 !— !colspan="4" | |}

===Historical fleet=== Meridiana previously operated the following aircraft types:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;text-align:center" !Aircraft !Total !Introduced !Retired !Remark |- | Airbus A319-100 || 5 || 2004 || 2010 || EI-DEY, EI-DEZ, EI-DFA, EI-DFP, I-EEZQ<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> |- | Airbus A320-200 || 12 || 2010 || 2015 || {{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | Airbus A330-200 || 3 || 2010 || 2015 || I-EEZJ, I-EEZM, EI-EZL {{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | ATR 42–300 || 3 || 2001 || 2010 || LY-ARI leased from DOT LT D-BCRP, D-BCRO leased from Avanti Air <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> |- | Boeing 737-300 || 2 || 2016 || 2016 || EI-IGR, EI-IGS on lease{{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | Boeing 737-400 || 1 || 2014 || 2017 || 9H-AMW on lease{{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | Boeing 737-700 || 4 || 2013 || 2018 || {{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | Boeing 737-800 || 9 || 2013 || 2018 || {{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | Boeing 767-200 || 1 || 2014 || || I-AIGH<{{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | Boeing 767-300ER || 3 || 2014 || 2018 || {{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | British Aerospace 146-200 || 7 || 1991 || 2005 || {{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | British Aerospace 146-300 || 4 || 1991 || 1992 || {{Cn|date=January 2025}} |- | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 || 6 || 1991 || 1999 || <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> |- | McDonnell Douglas MD-82 || 9 || 2013 || 2018 || <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> |- | McDonnell Douglas MD-83 || 12 || 1991 || 2010 || <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> |}

== Gallery == <gallery mode="packed"> File:EI-DEY Meridiana (3980661850).jpg|Airbus A319-100 File:British Aerospace BAe-146-200, Meridiana AN1034177.jpg|British Aerospace 146-200 File:Boeing 737-73V (EI-IGT) 01.jpg|Boeing 737-700 File:Meridiana,_EI-FFK,_Boeing_737-81Q_(18994240894).jpg|Boeing 737-800 File:Boeing_767_Meridiana.jpg|Boeing 767-300ER File:McDonnell_Douglas_DC-9-51,_Meridiana_JP5890448.jpg|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50 File:McDonnell Douglas MD-83, Meridiana JP7627171.jpg|McDonnell Douglas MD-83 </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite book |last=Iarossi |first=M. |date=1999–2000 |title=Compagnie Aeree |publisher=EDAI |location=Firenze |language=Italian}} *{{cite book |last=Endres |first=G. |date=2023 |title=Italian Icon |publisher= Milton Keynes UK & Ingram Content Group UK Ltd. |isbn=978-0-9573744-5-4}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Meridiana}} * {{official website|http://www.meridiana.it/en/}}

Category:Airlines established in 1991 Category:Airlines disestablished in 2018 Category:Defunct airlines of Italy Category:Olbia Category:Transport in Sardinia Category:Transport in Italy Category:Italian brands Category:AQA Holding S.p.A.