Meridiana

Meridiana was an Italian airline operating scheduled and charter passenger services from its base in Olbia, Sardinia. Its immediate corporate predecessor was Alisarda, an airline associated with the development of air links to Sardinia. In 1991, Alisarda's shareholders approved a change of name to Meridiana S.p.A., effective 1 September, as the company broadened its ambitions beyond domestic Sardinian and Italian flying toward a wider European network. The rebrand was accompanied by a new logo and the introduction of routes from airports including Verona and Florence. During the 1990s, Meridiana developed a mixed fleet that included McDonnell Douglas MD-82s, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51s and British Aerospace 146-200s. Florence became an important operating location for the BAe 146 fleet, while Olbia Costa Smeralda remained the company's principal base and corporate center. The airline served domestic Italian destinations and expanded its international leisure network. By the end of the decade it had become a significant Italian carrier, with 21 aircraft, approximately 1,500 employees and a reported 17% share of the Italian market at the end of 1999. Passenger volumes reached approximately 3.5 million in 2000, according to the cited historical account. The company later went through a period of restructuring and consolidation. In 2011, Meridiana fly announced an integration plan involving Air Italy, the Italian charter and leisure carrier founded in 2005. Meridiana fly completed the acquisition in October of that year. Financial deterioration and increasing debt subsequently led the Aga Khan to retake control in January 2013 and provide a reported €190 million recapitalization. The group then aligned the Air Italy and Meridiana fly commercial identities. In April 2013, the shorter Meridiana name was restored, while Air Italy and Meridiana operated with a shared commercial presentation and livery. They nevertheless retained separate air operator certificates, operating structures, crews and employment arrangements. Meridiana also broadened its customer proposition through the Meridiana Club frequent-flyer program, launched in 2013 in partnership with Avios. Members later gained the ability to earn Avios on British Airways and Iberia. The group pursued fleet simplification and retired its final Airbus aircraft in December 2014, moving toward an all-Boeing fleet shared with Air Italy. Its 2015 network combined Italian city links with seasonal and leisure services to destinations in the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Ocean and Latin America. A further ownership and strategy change followed in 2016–2017. Qatar Airways agreed to acquire a stake in Meridiana fly as part of an industrial plan intended to address the group's debt and support growth. Qatar Airways formally acquired 49% of AQA Holding in September 2017. The subsequent plan included reducing most Milan-Linate services, adding long-haul routes from Milan-Malpensa to New York and Miami, introducing Airbus A330-200 aircraft leased from Qatar Airways, and preparing for Boeing 737 MAX 8 deliveries. The company also announced plans for lie-flat business-class seating and onboard Wi-Fi on relevant long-haul aircraft. On 1 March 2018, Meridiana officially changed its name to Air Italy, with a new livery and an expanded network intended to position the carrier as a major Italian national airline. The Meridiana brand therefore ceased to be the operating brand of the airline, although its corporate and operational history continued into Air Italy. Air Italy entered voluntary liquidation in February 2020 and stopped flight operations, bringing the successor business to an end.

Meridiana's corporate identity emerged from Alisarda, the Sardinian airline that had developed air services linking the island with mainland Italy and other destinations. At an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on 3 May 1991, Alisarda approved a name change to Meridiana S.p.A., effective 1 September. The new name and logo reflected an effort to expand the airline's role from a primarily Sardinia-focused operator into a broader European carrier. During the same year, Meridiana opened national and international services from Verona and Florence. A large hangar at Florence was used for the maintenance of newly delivered British Aerospace 146 aircraft, which opened routes to Catania and Palermo. The early-1990s fleet included McDonnell Douglas MD-82s, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51s and British Aerospace 146-200s. In 1992, the airline was reported to operate 16 aircraft and employ 1,414 people, carrying approximately 1.932 million passengers. By the end of the 1990s, Meridiana had become a substantial participant in Italy's aviation market. The cited account reports approximately 3.075 million passengers in 1999, a 17% Italian market share, 21 aircraft and about 1,500 employees. Passenger numbers reached approximately 3.531 million in 2000. Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Olbia remained the company's headquarters and principal hub, while other Italian airports provided bases for domestic and seasonal international services. The company entered a more difficult period in the following decade. On 19 July 2011, Meridiana fly announced a plan to integrate Air Italy, a fellow Italian leisure and charter carrier. Meridiana fly completed the acquisition in October 2011. The transaction brought the two businesses into a common group but did not eliminate all operational distinctions. Financial weakness and increasing debt then prompted a major ownership intervention. In January 2013, the Aga Khan regained control and recapitalized the company with a reported €190 million. Meridiana fly and Air Italy were subsequently presented under a common commercial identity. The shorter Meridiana name was restored in April 2013, and the group used a common livery and commercial offer, although the two airlines continued to hold separate air operator certificates and retain distinct operating and employment structures. The group used the period to develop ancillary and loyalty products. Meridiana Club was launched in May 2013 with Avios. The program later enabled members to earn Avios on British Airways and Iberia. Meridiana also operated or controlled businesses connected with maintenance and tourism, including Meridiana Maintenance and the Wokita tour operator. Its Spanish affiliate Meridiana Air held a minority interest and coordinated or assumed the operations of local airlines. In December 2014, Meridiana retired its last Airbus A320-200 aircraft, supporting a plan to operate an all-Boeing fleet alongside Air Italy. By 2015, the airline's network mixed domestic Italian connectivity with seasonal international leisure routes. Italian services linked cities including Bergamo, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Milan, Naples, Olbia, Rome, Turin and Verona. International destinations listed for that period included locations in Egypt, Cape Verde, Senegal, the Caribbean, Brazil, the Maldives, Mauritius, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Mexico, Cuba, Spain and the United Kingdom. The precise mix was seasonal and varied by departure airport. A new ownership phase began in 2016. Qatar Airways agreed to purchase a stake in Meridiana fly under a plan intended to address debt, restructure the group and support growth. AQA Holding was established by Alisarda in September 2017 to control the airlines, and Qatar Airways acquired 49% of it on 28 September 2017. The announced strategy included reducing Milan-Linate operations except for the Olbia service, adding Milan-Malpensa flights to New York and Miami, and using Airbus A330-200 aircraft leased from Qatar Airways. Meridiana also announced that it would be the first Italian airline to receive Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, alongside planned long-haul cabin improvements such as full-flat business seats and in-flight Wi-Fi. On 1 March 2018, the company formally changed its name to Air Italy. The rebrand included a new livery and a broader route ambition, with the stated goal of creating a major Italian national carrier. The Meridiana name consequently disappeared from the airline's customer-facing operating identity. Air Italy later entered voluntary liquidation on 11 February 2020 and ceased flight operations. Meridiana is therefore a defunct airline brand whose history is inseparable from Alisarda, Air Italy, the Aga Khan's ownership and Qatar Airways' investment in the final phase of its existence.

• 2020

  Successor carrier ceases operations

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  Air Italy entered voluntary liquidation and stopped flying, ending the successor operation.

• 2018

  Meridiana becomes Air Italy

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  The airline changed its legal and operating brand to Air Italy on 1 March.

• 2017

  Qatar Airways takes a stake in AQA Holding

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  Qatar Airways acquired 49% of AQA Holding, the holding company controlling Meridiana and Air Italy.

• 2013

  Ownership recapitalization and brand alignment

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  The Aga Khan regained control, recapitalized the group and restored the shorter Meridiana name for the common commercial identity.

• 2011

  Air Italy acquisition

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  Meridiana fly announced and completed the acquisition of Air Italy.

• 1999

  Meridiana reaches a strong Italian market position

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  The cited history reports 21 aircraft, approximately 1,500 employees and a 17% share of the Italian market at the end of the decade.

• 1992

  Early Meridiana operating scale

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  The airline was reported to operate 16 aircraft, employ 1,414 people and carry approximately 1.932 million passengers.

• 1991

  Alisarda adopts the Meridiana name

  [1]Meridianaen.wikipedia.org

  Alisarda shareholders approved the change to Meridiana S.p.A., effective 1 September, to support expansion toward a wider European network.

An Italian network and leisure airline combining essential domestic links, especially to and from Sardinia, with seasonal international tourism routes. In its later period, the business sought to reposition itself as a larger national carrier through Qatar Airways investment, long-haul expansion and integration with Air Italy.

• Air transport · 1991

  Scheduled passenger services

  Meridiana operated scheduled passenger flights within Italy and on selected European and international routes. Domestic connectivity included links among major Italian cities and Sardinian destinations, with Olbia serving as the principal base. The network combined year-round city links with routes that could vary according to season and demand.

• Air transport

  Charter and leisure flights

  Leisure flying was a central part of Meridiana's proposition. The airline operated seasonal services from Italian airports to holiday destinations in the Mediterranean, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Indian Ocean. Examples in the 2015 schedule included Egypt, Cape Verde, Senegal, Cuba, Mexico, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania and the Maldives.

• Frequent-flyer program · 2013

  Meridiana Club

  Meridiana Club was the airline's loyalty program, launched in partnership with Avios in 2013. Members could earn Avios through qualifying activity, with later earning arrangements involving British Airways and Iberia. The program supported the airline's effort to build a recurring customer relationship beyond individual flight bookings.

• Tour operator · 2006

  Wokita

  Wokita was a Meridiana group tourism business offering packages and travel products such as flights, hotels, seaside holidays, yachting and activity-based vacations. It extended the group's role from air transport into holiday distribution and travel services.

• 2018

  Rebrand the airline as Air ItalyStrategy

  Background

  The owners sought to create a larger airline with a stronger national-market position and a wider international network.

  Action taken

  On 1 March, Meridiana adopted the Air Italy name, introduced a new livery and expanded its stated domestic and international ambitions.

  Aftermath

  The Meridiana operating brand ended. Air Italy later entered voluntary liquidation and ceased operations in 2020.

  Source

• 2017

  Accept Qatar Airways investment through AQA HoldingM&A

  Background

  The group faced financial pressure and sought an industrial partner capable of supporting debt restructuring, fleet development and network growth.

  Action taken

  AQA Holding was established by Alisarda, and Qatar Airways acquired a 49% interest in the holding company.

  Aftermath

  The group announced a long-haul expansion, Milan network changes and a transition to the Air Italy brand in 2018.

  Source

• 2014

  Move toward an all-Boeing fleetGeneration change

  Background

  Meridiana and Air Italy sought to simplify fleet management and align their aircraft strategy.

  Action taken

  Meridiana retired its final two Airbus A320-200 aircraft in December and continued toward an all-Boeing fleet.

  Aftermath

  The fleet strategy supported the later plan for Boeing 737 MAX 8 deliveries, although the Meridiana brand was subsequently replaced by Air Italy.

  Source

• 2013

  Unify the Meridiana and Air Italy commercial identitiesStrategy

  Background

  After the Air Italy acquisition and a new recapitalization, the group sought to simplify its market presentation while continuing to operate with separate certificates and organizational structures.

  Action taken

  The group restored the Meridiana name, adopted a common livery and presented the two airlines with a shared commercial offer.

  Aftermath

  Air Italy and Meridiana continued as operationally distinct entities until the later transition to the Air Italy brand.

  Source

1. 1Meridianaen.wikipedia.org