Meridiana becomes Air Italy: strategy, flight lists and figures

Meridiana is starting again in Malpensa, confirming the leading role of the airport in Milan, and is now aiming to Air Italy, the group’s company that had been in the shadows for the last years and that will de facto “replace” Meridiana with its brand name.

In the presentation during a press conference (with Marco Rigotti, the chairman of Meridiana Francesco Violante and Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways and new majority shareholder), the new course of action of the company was presented, including the unveiling of the Air Italy livery (with a photo from Aeroporti Lombardi). According to the project, fifty new planes will be available by 2020, with a prospect of 10 millions of passengers, 8 of which starting their flight from Malpensa. The company is aiming to “hire 1500 people”, explained Akbar Al Baker.

The fleet will consist of, among the others, twenty Boeing 737 Max 8 (with the new livery) and five Airbus 330-220 for long-range destinations, from Milan to New York and Miami. Starting from September, a four-times-per-week flight to Bangkok will be available as well.

In May, on the internal market the flight to Rome will be available; other than this, there will be also connections to Catania, Palermo, Naples and Lamezia Terme, that will act as feeders for international flights.

A company “that provides high quality services, and that is an alternative for Italians and for all the international tourists that wish to visit Italy”, summed up the CEO of Qatar.