ItAli Airlines

ItAli Airlines S.p.A. was an Italian airline based in Rome and centered operationally on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport. It served several distinct aviation markets: regional scheduled passenger services, charter flights, cargo operations, air-taxi services and executive aviation. Its principal scheduled network was domestic Italian, although the carrier also operated selected international services, including flights to Paris and charter operations to destinations in the Mediterranean and the Balkans. The company's roots lay in Air Columbia, an air-taxi operator established in Pescara in 1984. Air Columbia was wholly owned by Abruzzo businessman Giuseppe Spadaccini, whose aviation interests were organized through the financial company Aeroservices. The business initially concentrated on on-demand air-taxi activity rather than conventional airline schedules. After Aeroservices acquired Air Besit in 2001, the group had access to two Swearingen SA-227 Metroliners and began developing a regional scheduled operation from Pescara. The initial concept was to connect Pescara with Rome and other Italian cities, using aircraft suited to thinner regional routes. A temporary corporate name, TAI-Trasporti Aerei Italiani, appeared in 2003. Between late 2003 and 2004, the ItAli Airlines name was adopted as the principal airline identity. Scheduled services from Pescara Abruzzo Airport began in October 2003, including a daily Pescara–Milan-Linate service operated with a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner. A Dornier 328Jet was also used for regional passenger flying. The airline's positioning was that of a flexible regional and charter operator rather than a large network carrier: it combined scheduled links between Italian cities with seasonal leisure flying and specialized aviation services. Charter flying expanded the carrier's geographic reach. McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft were used primarily from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa. During the summer 2010 season, charter destinations included Samos, Lourdes, Lampedusa, Rhodes and Tirana, with Tirana receiving particularly frequent service. In December 2010, the airline also introduced Rome–Genoa and Genoa–Paris Charles de Gaulle services, adding an international component to its scheduled network. In 2009, ItAli developed an air-taxi and executive-aviation arm operating under the MustFly brand. This activity was based at Rome Ciampino, with Milan-Linate as a secondary base. Two Dornier 328Jets formerly used in scheduled service were reconfigured with 19 seats for executive operations and operated under ItAli's air operator certificate. The company entered a serious legal and regulatory crisis in 2010–2011. On 21 October 2010, the Guardia di Finanza's Pescara tax police announced arrests connected with 'Operation Flying Money'. Giuseppe Spadaccini and 12 other people were accused in an investigation into an alleged international tax-evasion network involving companies in Italy and Madeira and approximately €90 million. The allegations concerned the people and companies under investigation and should not be treated as a finding of guilt in the absence of a cited final judgment. On 11 March 2011, Italy's civil aviation authority, ENAC, suspended the airline's air operator certificate, citing continuing critical issues. The suspension effectively ended the carrier's ability to continue normal air-carrier operations. A planned order for ten Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 aircraft, with ten further options, was later removed from the manufacturer's order book in January 2011 before the aircraft entered ItAli service.

ItAli Airlines developed from a small Abruzzo aviation business rather than being founded immediately as a conventional scheduled airline. Its predecessor, Air Columbia, was established in Pescara in 1984 and initially performed only air-taxi work. The company was wholly owned by Giuseppe Spadaccini, an Abruzzo businessman with interests across aviation and other sectors. His aviation holdings were managed through Aeroservices. The strategic direction changed around the turn of the century. After Aeroservices acquired Air Besit in 2001, the group sought to use two Swearingen SA-227 Metroliners for scheduled regional flying in and around Pescara. The objective was to connect the Adriatic city with Rome and other Italian destinations while retaining the operational flexibility associated with a smaller carrier. A temporary identity, TAI-Trasporti Aerei Italiani, was created in 2003. Between the end of that year and 2004, the ItAli Airlines name replaced the temporary designation. From October 2003, the carrier operated scheduled services from Pescara Abruzzo Airport. A daily Pescara–Milan-Linate route was flown with a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner, while a Dornier 328Jet was used on other regional services. The airline subsequently maintained a mixed business model. Scheduled flying provided domestic connectivity, while charter work allowed the company to deploy larger aircraft on seasonal leisure routes. McDonnell Douglas MD-82s were used principally from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa. By the summer of 2010, charter destinations included Samos, Lourdes, Lampedusa, Rhodes and Tirana. Tirana was a particularly important destination, receiving multiple weekly flights. The carrier's scheduled network was not limited to its original Pescara base. Winter 2010 operations included Genoa, Milan-Linate, Reggio Calabria and Rome in Italy, as well as Paris Charles de Gaulle in France. On 16 December 2010, ItAli added Rome–Genoa and Genoa–Paris services, illustrating an attempt to establish a broader domestic and cross-border regional role. ItAli also diversified into non-scheduled and premium aviation. In early summer 2009, it created an air-taxi operation based at Rome Ciampino, with Milan-Linate as a secondary base. Executive flights were marketed under the MustFly name but operated with aircraft placed under ItAli Airlines' air operator certificate. Two Dornier 328Jets that had previously served in scheduled operations were reconfigured with 19 seats for executive use. The airline's expansion was interrupted by legal and regulatory problems. On 21 October 2010, the Guardia di Finanza's Pescara tax police carried out arrests in the investigation known as Operation Flying Money. Spadaccini and 12 other people were accused in an alleged international tax-evasion scheme involving a network of companies connected with Italy and Madeira. The investigation was reported as involving approximately €90 million. The available reference material does not establish a final court disposition, so the allegations must be distinguished from proven criminal liability. Operational difficulties continued into 2011. On 11 March, ENAC suspended ItAli's air operator certificate because of persistent critical issues. Without an active certificate, the airline could not continue its air-carrier operations in the ordinary course. The planned fleet expansion also failed to materialize: an order for ten Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 aircraft, with ten options, was removed from the order book in January 2011. ItAli Airlines is consequently remembered as a defunct Italian regional carrier whose short history combined scheduled, charter, cargo, air-taxi and executive activities.

• 2011

  Air operator certificate suspended

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  ENAC suspended ItAli Airlines' air operator certificate over continuing critical issues.

• 2010

  Operation Flying Money arrests

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Giuseppe Spadaccini and 12 others were arrested in an alleged international tax-evasion investigation.

• 2009

  MustFly executive operation established

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The airline introduced an air-taxi and executive arm based at Rome Ciampino, with Milan-Linate as a secondary base.

• 2004

  ItAli Airlines name adopted

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The ItAli Airlines identity replaced the temporary TAI designation between late 2003 and 2004.

• 2003

  TAI-Trasporti Aerei Italiani is created

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  A temporary airline identity was introduced before the ItAli Airlines name was adopted.

• 2003

  Scheduled operations begin from Pescara

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The carrier began scheduled services from Pescara Abruzzo Airport, including a daily route to Milan-Linate.

• 2001

  Aeroservices acquires Air Besit

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition supplied the group with two Swearingen SA-227 Metroliners and supported the move toward scheduled regional flying.

• 1984

  Air Columbia established in Pescara

  [1]ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor company began in Pescara as an air-taxi operator.

A flexible Italian regional and charter operator combining scheduled domestic connectivity with leisure charters, cargo, air-taxi and executive aviation.

• Passenger airline services · 2003

  Regional scheduled passenger services

  ItAli Airlines operated scheduled regional services within Italy, initially using Swearingen Metroliners and Dornier 328Jets from Pescara. The network later included Rome, Milan-Linate, Genoa and Reggio Calabria, with services designed to connect smaller or regional markets to larger Italian and European cities.

• Leisure aviation

  Charter flights

  The airline used McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft for seasonal charter flying, mainly from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa. Destinations reported for summer 2010 included Mediterranean and religious-tourism markets such as Samos, Lampedusa, Rhodes and Lourdes, as well as Tirana in Albania.

• Air freight

  Cargo services

  Cargo was one of the operating categories associated with ItAli Airlines. The available reference material confirms that the carrier provided cargo services but does not specify routes, customers, aircraft dedicated to freight or cargo volumes.

• Executive aviation · 2009

  MustFly executive aviation

  MustFly was the brand used for ItAli's executive and air-taxi activity. The operation was based at Rome Ciampino, with Milan-Linate as a secondary base. Two Dornier 328Jets were reconfigured with 19 seats and operated under ItAli Airlines' air operator certificate.

• 2010

  Operation Flying Money tax-evasion investigation

  On 21 October 2010, the Guardia di Finanza's Pescara tax police arrested Giuseppe Spadaccini and 12 other people in an investigation into an alleged international tax-evasion network involving companies in Italy and Madeira. The reported amount was approximately €90 million. The available source does not provide a final judicial outcome.

  Source

Read more

• 2011

  Cancellation of planned Sukhoi Superjet fleet expansionStrategy

  Background

  ItAli had placed an order for ten Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 aircraft and ten options, with deliveries expected around mid-2010.

  Action taken

  The order was removed from the order book in January 2011.

  Aftermath

  The planned modernization and expansion did not enter service before the airline's regulatory suspension.

  Source

• 2010

  Launch of Rome–Genoa and Genoa–Paris servicesProduct launch

  Background

  The carrier attempted to broaden its scheduled network beyond its original Pescara-centered regional operation.

  Action taken

  ItAli began Rome–Genoa and Genoa–Paris Charles de Gaulle flights on 16 December 2010.

  Aftermath

  The new services were introduced shortly before the airline's air operator certificate was suspended.

  Source

• 2009

  Expansion into executive and air-taxi aviationStrategy

  Background

  The airline sought to diversify beyond regional scheduled and charter flying.

  Action taken

  ItAli established a Rome Ciampino-based air-taxi operation and marketed executive flights under the MustFly brand, using reconfigured Dornier 328Jets.

  Aftermath

  The activity operated under ItAli's air operator certificate until the company's broader regulatory crisis.

  Source

1. 1ItAli Airlinesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Archived ItAli Airlines websiteweb.archive.org