C.A.I. First

C.A.I. First S.p.A. was an Italian airline subsidiary associated with Alitalia. Although it had a distinct legal identity, the company was not presented to passengers as a separate public-facing airline: its flights were marketed and branded as Alitalia services. Its principal corporate purpose in its final years was to operate aircraft and routes on behalf of Alitalia while helping preserve valuable traffic rights and take-off and landing slots, particularly at Milan Linate Airport. The company originated in the restructuring of Alitalia's regional operations. It began operations on 1 October 1997 after being established from the failed airline Avianova, and for much of its operating history was known as Alitalia Express. It maintained operational bases at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport and Milan Malpensa Airport. The airline was designed to support Alitalia's network with smaller regional aircraft and short- to medium-haul services rather than to build an independent consumer brand. A proposed Alitalia acquisition of Minerva Airlines was announced in March 2003, with a plan that would have involved transferring Alitalia Express aircraft, but the transaction did not proceed. The company remained part of Alitalia's regional structure instead. Its corporate position changed during the 2008 restructuring of the Italian airline industry. In December 2008, Compagnia Aerea Italiana acquired Alitalia–Linee Aeree Italiane and Air One, creating the reorganized Alitalia commonly known as the new Alitalia. C.A.I. consequently inherited Alitalia Express and Air One CityLiner. The Alitalia Express name was gradually withdrawn from public use, while Air One CityLiner was rebranded as Alitalia CityLiner. C.A.I. First nevertheless remained as a legal operating entity because closing it could have jeopardized the retention of slots and related operating arrangements. The former Alitalia Express fleet included ten Embraer 170 regional jets, all of which had been phased out by March 2013. In the final period, one Airbus A320-200, registered EI-DSC, was transferred from Alitalia's mainline fleet into C.A.I. First. This aircraft was used primarily to maintain the company's slot position rather than to establish a visible independent service identity. A comparable slot-preservation arrangement existed with C.A.I. Second, formerly associated with Volareweb.com. C.A.I. First was dissolved on 6 February 2015, when its operations were integrated into Alitalia's mainline organization. The dissolution ended a corporate structure that had originated as Alitalia Express and had served mainly as an operational and regulatory vehicle within the wider Alitalia group. Because the C.A.I. First name was a legal designation rather than a passenger-facing brand, its disappearance had limited direct consumer visibility.

C.A.I. First developed from Alitalia's regional airline activities and began operating on 1 October 1997. Its immediate predecessor was the defunct Avianova. The company was chiefly associated with the Alitalia Express operation, using regional aircraft to support Alitalia's network from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa. It did not function as a prominent independent passenger brand; flights operated under its legal structure were presented to the market using Alitalia branding. In March 2003, Alitalia announced a plan to acquire Minerva Airlines and transfer Alitalia Express aircraft as part of the arrangement. The proposed transaction was not completed, leaving the existing Alitalia Express structure in place. The airline continued to act as a regional operating arm within the Alitalia system. The most important corporate turning point came in December 2008. Compagnia Aerea Italiana acquired Alitalia–Linee Aeree Italiane and Air One, combining their activities into the reorganized Alitalia. The transaction brought Alitalia Express and Air One CityLiner into the new Alitalia group. Air One CityLiner was rebranded as Alitalia CityLiner, while the Alitalia Express name was progressively retired from public-facing use. C.A.I. First was not immediately closed after the restructuring. Its continued existence served an operational and regulatory purpose, particularly the preservation of slots at Milan Linate Airport. The company therefore remained a legal airline entity even though its public identity was effectively Alitalia. A comparable arrangement was used for C.A.I. Second, which had been connected with Volareweb.com. The former Alitalia Express fleet included ten Embraer 170 aircraft. Those aircraft were completely removed from the fleet by March 2013. Near the end of the company's existence, a single Airbus A320-200, registered EI-DSC, was transferred from Alitalia's mainline operation to C.A.I. First. This move was connected to slot preservation and corporate operating requirements rather than a separate consumer-facing re-launch. On 6 February 2015, C.A.I. First was dissolved and its operations were integrated into Alitalia's mainline organization. The event closed the corporate history of an airline that had begun as a regional subsidiary, operated for years under the Alitalia Express identity, and ultimately survived primarily because of its role in maintaining Alitalia's operating and slot position.

• 2015

  Dissolution and integration

  [1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  C.A.I. First was dissolved on 6 February and its operations were incorporated into Alitalia's mainline operation.

• 2013

  Embraer 170 fleet retired

  [1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  The ten Embraer 170 aircraft associated with the former Alitalia Express fleet had been completely phased out by March.

• 2008

  Entry into the new Alitalia structure

  [1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  Compagnia Aerea Italiana acquired Alitalia–Linee Aeree Italiane and Air One, bringing Alitalia Express into the reorganized Alitalia group.

• 2003

  Proposed Minerva Airlines acquisition

  [1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  Alitalia announced a plan to acquire Minerva Airlines and transfer Alitalia Express aircraft, but the proposed transaction did not proceed.

• 1997

  Operations begin

  [1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  The airline began operations on 1 October 1997 after being formed from the defunct Avianova.

A back-end and regional operating airline within the Alitalia structure rather than an independent consumer-facing airline brand.

• Passenger air transport · 1997

  Regional passenger flights

  C.A.I. First operated scheduled passenger services as part of Alitalia's regional network. These flights were not marketed as a separate C.A.I. First product; passengers generally encountered Alitalia branding. The operation used regional aircraft for short- and medium-haul routes and supported Alitalia's wider domestic and European schedule.

• Regional airline operations · 1997

  Alitalia Express operations

  Alitalia Express was the operating identity historically associated with the company. Its fleet included Embraer 170 regional jets, and its bases included Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa. The Alitalia Express name was later phased out as Alitalia reorganized its regional activities.

• 2015

  Integration into Alitalia mainlineStrategy

  Background

  C.A.I. First had ceased to have a meaningful independent public brand and was primarily an operating and legal vehicle within the Alitalia structure.

  Action taken

  The company was dissolved on 6 February 2015 and its operations were integrated into Alitalia's mainline organization.

  Aftermath

  C.A.I. First ceased to exist as a separate airline entity.

  Source

• 2013

  Replacement of the regional fleetGeneration change

  Background

  The former Alitalia Express fleet had included ten Embraer 170 aircraft.

  Action taken

  The Embraer 170 fleet was completely phased out by March 2013, leaving a single Airbus A320-200 transferred from Alitalia's mainline fleet in the final period.

  Aftermath

  The aircraft transfer supported the company's slot-preservation role rather than creating an independent C.A.I. First passenger proposition.

  Source

• 2008

  Retention within the reorganized AlitaliaM&A

  Background

  The acquisition of Alitalia and Air One by Compagnia Aerea Italiana created a new Alitalia structure that included Alitalia Express and related operating companies.

  Action taken

  C.A.I. First was retained as a legal airline entity instead of being immediately closed, while the Alitalia Express public identity was phased out.

  Aftermath

  The company continued operating for Alitalia, principally to support the group's operating arrangements and preserve airport slots.

  Source

• 2015

  C.A.I. First dissolved and integrated into Alitalia[1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  Other

  C.A.I. First was dissolved on 6 February 2015 and its operations were absorbed into Alitalia's mainline structure.

• 2013

  Alitalia Express fleet phased out[1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  The ten Embraer 170 aircraft associated with the former Alitalia Express fleet had been completely phased out by March 2013.

• 2013

  Alitalia Express fleet fully phased out[1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  The company's ten Embraer 170 aircraft had been completely removed from its fleet by March 2013. A single Airbus A320-200 remained associated with the company for airport-slot preservation purposes.

• 2008

  C.A.I. acquires Alitalia and Air One operations[1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Compagnia Aerea Italiana took over Alitalia–Linee Aeree Italiane and Air One, creating the reorganized Alitalia and bringing Alitalia Express into the new corporate structure.

• 2008

  Compagnia Aerea Italiana acquires Alitalia and Air One interests[1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The C.A.I. restructuring brought Alitalia Express and Air One CityLiner into the reorganized Alitalia group. The Alitalia Express public identity was subsequently phased out as the group consolidated its regional operations.

• 2003

  Alitalia announces proposed Minerva Airlines acquisition[1]C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Alitalia announced a plan to acquire Minerva Airlines and transfer Alitalia Express aircraft as part of the proposed arrangement. The transaction was not completed.

1. 1C.A.I. Firsten.wikipedia.org