Airlines

ITALY\’S MERIDIANA TAKES OFF


Italy’s second largest home-based airline, Meridiana, last year merged with Air Italy, but in January both carriers had their permanent AOCs removed by the Italian civil aviation authority, replaced by provisional licences. Earlier this month the airline’s permanent operating licence was restored, indicating authorities are now comfortable with the financial situation of the airline, as it restructures its business. The Meridiana Group Airlines (which includes Meridiana fly and Air Italy) is now branding all scheduled flights once more as “Meridiana”, with a revised livery. Having absorbed Eurofly (an all-Airbus operator) and Air Italy (an all-Boeing operator), the airline’s fleet is still far from ideal. In less than a year, the fleet has been reduced from 37 to 28 aircraft — 10 MD-80s, seven A320s, seven 737s, three 767s, and an A330 which the airline is currently operating on behalf of Turkish Airlines. However, further rationalization is planned in the next 12 months. The demise last August of Catania-based LCC Wind Jet, with which Meridiana codeshared on a number of services, has given Meridiana a stronger position at several airports in Sardinia and Sicily. According to schedule data for this summer, Meridiana’s biggest base is at Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport, in which the airline’s holding company owns an almost 80% share. From Olbia, the airline operates nearly 200 departures per week this summer, including new routes to Kiev and Tel Aviv. However, over 90% of flights from Olbia are domestic, including multiple daily flights to Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino. Milan Linate’s second position is achieved thanks to multiple daily flights from Sardinia (Alghero, Cagliari and Olbia) and Sicily (Catania and Palermo). Non-Italian destinations served with scheduled flights include London Gatwick, Paris CDG, Moscow Domodedovo, Nice and various Greek holiday destinations. In addition, a number of codeshare arrangements with airlines including airberlin and Iberia, enables the airline to offer a wider range of international destinations. Further codeshares are due in the near future. Meridiana (IG — 191) is on BSP Canada and accepts all major credit cards as a form of payment. (http://www.apg-ga.com)
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