Alitalia

Alitalia, formally known as Alitalia - Societa Aerea Italiana, was the flag carrier of Italy from its founding in 1946 until it ceased operations on October 14, 2021. Based in Fiumicino near Rome, the airline operated its primary hub at Rome-Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport with a secondary hub at Milan-Linate Airport. Alitalia was a member of the SkyTeam alliance and operated a mixed fleet of Airbus A330, Airbus A320 family, Boeing 777, and Embraer regional aircraft. The airline offered Magnifica business class with lie-flat seats, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins on long-haul routes. Alitalia's MilleMiglia loyalty program was one of the longest-running frequent flyer programs in Europe. Throughout its history, Alitalia faced recurring financial difficulties, undergoing multiple restructurings, government bailouts, and ownership changes. The airline entered extraordinary administration in 2017, and after several failed sale attempts, the Italian government established ITA Airways as a successor carrier. ITA Airways began operations on October 15, 2021, acquiring select Alitalia assets including the brand name, which it later incorporated into its identity as ITA Airways. Despite its financial challenges, Alitalia maintained a reputation for premium in-flight catering featuring Italian cuisine and was historically one of the largest carriers on routes between Italy and North America, South America, and Africa.