C.A.I. First

Last updated

C.A.I. First [1]
Logo Alitalia express.png
IATA ICAO Callsign
XM [1] SMXALIEXPRESS
Founded1 October 1997 (1997-10-01)
Ceased operations6 February 2015 (2015-02-06)
(integrated into Alitalia)
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer program MilleMiglia
Alliance SkyTeam (affiliate; 2001–2015)
Parent company Alitalia
Headquarters Fiumicino, Rome, Italy

C.A.I. First S.p.A. was [2] an Italian airline operating flights for its parent company, Alitalia, to preserve slots at Milan Linate Airport. For this reason Alitalia when merged with Air One didn't close C.A.I. First, which at that time still operated as Alitalia Express. It used to have bases at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome and Malpensa Airport in Milan. [3] C.A.I. First was dissolved and merged into Alitalia mainline by February 2015. [2]

Contents

The name C.A.I. First was only a legal name and wasn't used in public, all of its flights were branded as Alitalia.

History

Early years

Alitalia Express Embraer 170 Embraer 170-100LR, Alitalia Express JP6898134.jpg
Alitalia Express Embraer 170

The airline was established as a subsidiary of Alitalia and started operations on 1 October 1997. It was founded from the defunct Avianova. It was announced that Minerva Airlines would be acquired by Alitalia in March 2003 and that Alitalia Express's fleet would be transferred, but the plan did not go through.[ citation needed ]

Air One and Alitalia merger

In December 2008, Compagnia Aerea Italiana (C.A.I.) took over Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane and Air One, merging the two companies together to create the "new Alitalia". With the take over, CAI also received Alitalia Express and Air One CityLiner. The Alitalia Express brand has been phased out and the regional arm of Alitalia is now Alitalia CityLiner by rebranding Air One CityLiner.[ citation needed ]

The last fleet of Alitalia Express, 10 Embraer 170, was completely phased out by March 2013. Only one Airbus A320-200 (EI-DSC) from mainline Alitalia was moved in the fleet to preserve the slots. The same solution had been used with C.A.I. Second which used to be Volareweb.com.

On 6 February 2015, the airline was dissolved and its operations integrated into Alitalia mainline. [2] [4]

Fleet

Prior to its shutdown in February 2015, the fleet consisted of the following aircraft:

C.A.I. First Fleet
AircraftIn FleetPassengers
JY+Y Total
Airbus A320-200 134114148
Total1

Fleet history

Over the years, Alitalia Express has operated the following aircraft types: [5]

Alitalia Express Historical Fleet
AircraftImageIntroducedRetiredTotal
ATR 42-300 133ap - Alitalia Express ATR 42-300; I-NOWT@ZRH;20.06.2001 (6113139926).jpg 199620079
ATR 72-212 ATR 72-212, Alitalia Express JP6366794.jpg 199620085
ATR 72-500 Alitalia Express ATR 72 Jonsson-1.jpg 199920086
Embraer ERJ 145LR Alitalia Embraer ERJ-145, I-EXMM@DUS,11.03.2007-453kd - Flickr - Aero Icarus.jpg 2000200814
Embraer 170 Embraer 170-100LR, Alitalia Express JP342553.jpg 200420126
Dornier 328 D-CPRV Air Alps Aviation (2242497938).jpg 2000200410
operated by
Minerva Airlines [6]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "IATA - Codes - Airline and Airport Code Search". iata.org. IATA. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Alitalia cancels CAI First and Second's AOCs".
  3. "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International . 27 March 2007. p. 73.
  4. "Enac - Compagnie aeree". Archived from the original on 22 March 2009.
  5. "Alitalia Express historic fleet at airfleets.net. Retrieved 14 February 2012". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  6. "Minerva Airlines". Planespotters. Retrieved 19 May 2020.

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