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Air Italy will stop flying on Feb. 25

Feb. 11, 2020
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3 min read
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Air Italy will stop flying on Feb. 25
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Air Italy will close its doors on Feb. 25, two years after the brand was launched following an investment by Qatar Airways.

The Milan-based carrier's flights will be "operated by other carriers" at their scheduled times through Feb. 25 with its first domestic departures and those from the Maldives (MLE) and Dakar, Senegal (DSS) on Feb 26. being its last flights, Air Italy told customers on its website Tuesday.

Based on Air Italy's website, its U.S. flights to Miami (MIA) and New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) from Milan Malpensa (MXP) will operate through Feb. 25.

Passengers with flights booked after Feb. 25 can contact the airline for a refund, Air Italy said.

Related: What You Can Do When Your Airline Goes Belly Up

The demise of Air Italy marks the first shut down of an airline-of-note in 2020. Last year, a number of notable names including the UK's Thomas Cook and Iceland's WOW air closed their doors.

Air Italy is primarily domestic carrier with nearly three-quarters of its seats flown in Italy in January, according to Cirium schedule data. However, its route map stretches as far afield as the Maldives, and seasonally to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO).

Air Italy's route map in February 2020. (Image courtesy of Air Italy)

Air Italy rose in prominence after Qatar Airways bought a 49% stake in then-named Meridiana in 2017. The carrier was rebranded Air Italy in early 2018 with plans to grow rapidly with a fleet of Airbus A330s and Boeing 737 MAX jets.

“Malpensa is in a region which is really the economic heart of Italy, and has not been the hub for Italy. The hub for Italy is Paris and Munich. It is now our duty towards the Italian people as a shareholder of Air Italy to establish a very strong hub," Qatar CEO Akbar al Baker told TPG on the airline's ambitions for Air Italy in a May 2018 interview.

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Despite these ambitions, Air Italy's growth was hampered by the worldwide MAX grounding last March, and financial losses.

The decision to liquidate was made by both Air Italy's shareholders Alisarda, the Italian firm owning a majority 51% stake in the carrier, and Qatar Airways, according to the notice to passengers.

However, in its own statement Qatar Airways said it "continually reaffirmed its commitment... to continue investing in the company," but that continued growth was only possible "with the commitment of all shareholders."

Related: Exciting new airline routes from January 2020 and beyond

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.