Alitalia Airlines
Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A or Alitalia is Italy’s national carrier. Its headquarters is in Rome and its main hub is Leonardo Da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport. Focus cities include Malpensa International Airport and Linate Airport. Alitalia has monopoly routes to Naples and Bologna. Of the routes emanating from Rome, Alitalia has 53% share of domestic flights on their top 12 routes.
Alitalia is a combination of two words, ali (wings) and Italia (Italy). It was established on 16 September 1946 as Aerolinee Italiane Internazionali. In the next year, on 5 May 1947, the airline started operations carrying more than 10,000 passengers in their first year. In 1948, Alitalia is already flying to cities in South America.
Alitalia merged with Linee Aeree Italiane on 31 October 1957, taking the name Alitalia Linee Aeree Italiane. Its owners consist of Italian Ministry of Treasury holding 49% share, employees claiming 49% stake and Air France-KLM with the remaining 2%.
During the 1990s, the airline was already carrying 25 millions passengers annually. By 1997, it set up a regional subsidiary called Alitalia Express, which operated scheduled services and chartered flights. In 2001, Alitalia became part of the SkyTeam airline alliance.
The Pope usually flies with Alitalia using a chartered Alitalia Jet. The plane is nicknamed “Shepherd One” by the press.
A consortium of Italian investors, Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI), bought Alitalia on October 2008. CAI also bought an independent airline called Air One.
Air France-KLM has 25% participation in the new Alitalia launched on 13 January 2009 while the rest is owned by CAI, therefore, the new Alitalia is already considered a private company.
Domestic and International Destinations
The new Alitalia currently has a fleet size of 80 and will be merged with Air One’s. It operates flights to 18 intercontinental destinations particularly to main cities in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania.
Domestic destinations include Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Brindisi, Cagliari, Catania, Florence, Genoa, Lamezia Terme, Lampedusa, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Pantelleria, Parma, Pisa, Reggio Calabria, Rome, Trieste, Turin, Venice and Verona.
Internationally, Alitalia flies to Algiers in Algeria; Cairo in Egypt; Accra in Ghana; Tripoli in Libya; Casablanca in Morocco; Lagos in Nigeria; Tunis in Tunisia; Hong Kong; Beijing and Shanghai in China; Osaka and Tokyo in Japan; Delhi and Mumbai in India; Tehran in Iran; Tel Aviv in Israel; Beirut in Lebanon; Damascus in Syria; Tirana in Albania; Brussels in Belgium; Sofia in Bulgaria; Prague in Czech Republic; Marseilles, Nice and Paris in France; Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich in Germany; Athens in Greece; Budapest in Hungary; Malta; Amsterdam in Netherlands; Warsaw in Poland; Bucharest in Romania; Moscow and Saint Petersburg in Russia; Belgrade in Serbia; Barcelona and Madrid in Spain; Stockholm in Sweden; Geneva in Switzerland; Istanbul in Turkey; Kiev in Ukraine; London in United Kingdom; Toronto in Canada; Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York City and Newark (seasonal) in United States; Buenos Aires in Argentina; Sao Paulo in Brazil; Caracas in Venezuela and Melbourne, Orange and Perth in Australia.
Millemiglia
Millemiglia is Alitalia’s frequent flyer programme. Membership is free and you can earn miles every time you fly with Alitalia, Air One and its partner airlines. You may also use the services and buy goods from affiliate credit cards, hotels, car rental, telecoms, gas and other commercial partners. Miles are determined according to distance travelled and amount spent.
Redeem accumulated points for award tickets to your favourite destinations worldwide, fly business class or if you prefer to support charitable causes, you may also donate your miles to humanitarian associations.
You may also gain access to exclusive Alitalia clubs upon reaching required miles points, 20,000 qualifying miles for Ulisse Club, 50,000 for Freccia Alata Club and 80,000 for Freccia Alata Plus Club.
Frequent flyers can enjoy priority standby, free excess baggage allowance and access to VIP lounges around the globe.
SkyTeam
Alitalia is a member of SkyTeam, the second largest airline alliance in the world. It has 14 full, 3 non-voting and 2 pending members. Accrue and redeem points from member airlines and enjoy privileges including preferred seating, priority reservations waitlisting, priority boarding, priority airport check-in, priority airport standby, priority baggage handling, airport lounge access, guaranteed reservations on sold-out flights, express airport security and additional checked luggage allowance. Privileges are dependent on member airline’s frequent flyer programme.
Other SkyTeam members are Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air France, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Northwest Airlines, Air Europa, Copa Airlines and Kenya Airways.