Azzurra Air

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Azzurra Air
IATA ICAO Callsign
ZS AZI Azzurra
FoundedDecember 1995
Commenced operationsDecember 1996
Ceased operationsMarch 2004
Focus citiesRome and Bergamo, Italy
Fleet size12
Destinations54
Parent companyAir Malta,
Air International Services
HeadquartersMilan, Italy
Key peopleFausto Capalbo
(Chairman, Board of Directors)
Websitewww.azzurraair.it

Azzurra Air was a scheduled and charter airline based in Milan, Italy and flying to Spain, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal and other Mediterranean destinations.

History[edit]

The airline was established in December 1995 and was a joint venture by the Italian investment group Air International Services (51%) and by Air Malta (49%). It started operations in December 1996. AIS shares were purchased by UK based 7 Group in 2003, anticipating the purchase of Air Malta shares later that year.

In November 2003 it was announced that Azzurra Air was to take over French airline Air Littoral, but this fell through in the following month as Azzurra Air was in financial difficulties.[1] In March 2004 operations were suspended when its regional fleet was withdrawn by lessor and co-owner Air Malta due to non-payment of leases. The company was declared bankrupt in July 2004. It had five Airbus A320-200 aircraft on order at the time.

Services[edit]

Azzurra Air only operated one scheduled service from Bergamo to Rome using a Boeing 737-700. All other services were charter operations.

Fleet[edit]

An Azzurra Airbus A320 at Manchester Airport

The aircraft fleet included:

Azzurra Air Historical Fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Remark
Airbus A320-200 2 2003 2004 EI-DBC, EI-DBD
on lease[2]
Boeing 737-300 1 1999 2000 9H-ADH
leased from Air Malta[3]
Boeing 737-700 7 1999 2004 all on lease[4]
BAe 146-200 1 1998 1999 G-TBIC
leased from Aer Lingus[5]
Avro RJ70 5 1997 2007 [6]
Avro RJ85 3 1996 2005 [7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Air Littoral future still uncertain
  2. ^ "airbus A320". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Boeing 737". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Azzurra Air Fleet". Planespotters. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  5. ^ "BAe 146". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  6. ^ "BAe 146". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  7. ^ "BAe 146". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 19 July 2019.

External links[edit]