Azzurra Air Explained

Airline:Azzurra Air
Iata:ZS
Icao:AZI
Callsign:Azzurra
Founded:December 1995
Commenced:December 1996
Ceased:March 2004
Focus Cities:Rome and Bergamo, Italy
Fleet Size:12
Destinations:54
Parent:Air Malta,
Air International Services
Headquarters:Milan, Italy
Key People:Fausto Capalbo
(Chairman, Board of Directors)
Website:www.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

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as Azzurra Air was in financial difficulties.[1] In March 2004 operations were suspended when its regional fleet was withdrawn by lessor and co-owner Air Malta due to non-payment of leases.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

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

Fleet

The aircraft fleet included:

Azzurra Air Historical Fleet! Aircraft !! Total !! Introduced !! Retired !! Remark
2 2003 2004 EI-DBC, EI-DBD
on lease[2]
1 1999 2000 9H-ADH
leased from Air Malta[3]
7 1999 2004 all on lease[4]
1 1998 1999 G-TBIC
leased from Aer Lingus[5]
5 1997 2007 [6]
3 1996 2005 [7]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/air-littoral-future-still-uncertain-175592/ Air Littoral future still uncertain
  2. Web site: airbus A320 . Airfleets.net . 19 July 2019.
  3. Web site: Boeing 737 . Airfleets.net . 19 July 2019.
  4. Web site: Azzurra Air Fleet . Planespotters . 19 July 2019.
  5. Web site: BAe 146 . Airfleets.net . 19 July 2019.
  6. Web site: BAe 146 . Airfleets.net . 19 July 2019.
  7. Web site: BAe 146 . Airfleets.net . 19 July 2019.