ITA Airways

ITA Airways was established on October 15, 2021, emerging from the wreckage of Alitalia — a carrier that had been in extraordinary administration (Italy's form of bankruptcy protection) since May 2017. Alitalia itself had roots stretching back to the founding of Aerolinee Italiane Internazionali in 1946 and Linee Aeree Italiane in 1947, which merged in 1957 to create Alitalia. For decades, Alitalia was a symbol of Italian pride, operating as one of Europe's premier carriers with a reputation for Italian style, cuisine, and service. However, decades of poor management, political interference, labor unrest, and structural inefficiency eroded Alitalia's competitive position.

Multiple restructuring attempts and partial privatizations — including a 2008 sale to a consortium of Italian investors and a partnership with Air France-KLM — failed to address the airline's fundamental economics. The Italian government placed Alitalia in extraordinary administration in 2017, and after three years of failed sale attempts and a failed bidding process, the decision was made to wind down Alitalia entirely and launch a new carrier from scratch. ITA Airways launched on October 15, 2021 with an initial fleet of 52 aircraft and 61 routes — a fraction of Alitalia's former size. The airline joined SkyTeam in November 2021.

After an extended bidding process, Lufthansa Group's acquisition of a 41% ITA stake was completed in January 2025, marking a new chapter in Italian aviation history.