Alisarda
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | March 1963 |
| Founder | Aga Khan |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Fate | Merged with Universair to form Meridiana |
| Headquarters | Olbia , Italy |
Area served | Italy, Europe |
Key people | Sergio Peralda (President, 1990) |
| Products | Air taxi, charter, scheduled flights |
Number of employees | 1000 (1990) |
Alisarda S.p.A., commonly known as Alisarda, was an Italian carrier headquartered in Olbia, Sardinia. It operated from 1963 until its 1991 consolidation with Universair, which resulted in the creation of Meridiana. By 2019, Alisarda had transitioned into a holding entity, possessing a 51% ownership share in Meridiana’s successor, Air Italy.
History
Established in March 1963 by the Aga Khan, Alisarda initially provided air taxi and charter services catering to the Costa Smeralda region. Scheduled flights commenced in May 1966. The airline's first aircraft were Nord 262s, servicing routes between Olbia and Rome. These were replaced in 1969 by Fokker F27 Friendship planes, allowing route expansion to cities such as Pisa, Bologna, and Cagliari.
The arrival of the twin-engine jet DC-9-14 facilitated charter operations to Germany. By 1975, Alisarda’s fleet consisted solely of DC-9 aircraft. During the early 1980s, the airline was associated with Consorzio Della Costa Smeralda, an organization predominantly owned by Prince Karim Aga Khan.
In 1986, Alisarda acquired half of the shares in the fledgling airline Avianova. By mid-1987, the company expanded its fleet by adding two MD-82 jets and soon placed an order for a third.
By March 1990, under the leadership of President Sergio Peralda and employing roughly 1,000 staff members, Alisarda was controlled by financial entities connected to Prince Karim Aga Khan. Its fleet comprised six McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 aircraft alongside five MD-82s. The airline operated scheduled services to key Italian cities including Bologna, Cagliari, Genoa, and Milan, as well as seasonal flights to European destinations such as Frankfurt, Geneva, and Paris.
The merger in 1991 with Spain’s Universair gave rise to Meridiana. As of 2019, Alisarda continues functioning as a holding company with majority ownership in Air Italy.
Fleet
Throughout its operational history, Alisarda utilized a variety of aircraft types that reflected its growth and strategic changes:
| Aircraft | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft C-45G | 1964 | 1965 | |
| Beechcraft Queen Air 80 | 1965 | 1966 | |
| Fokker F27-100 Friendship | 1971 | 1974 | |
| Fokker F27-200 Friendship | 1969 | 1974 | |
| Fokker F.28 Mk 1000 Fellowship | 1971 | 1971 | leased from Fokker |
| British Aerospace 146-200 | 1991 | 1991 | leased from BAE Systems |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 | 1974 | 1981 | |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 | 1981 | 1984 | |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 | 1981 | 1991 | leased from Finnair |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 1984 | 1991 | leased from Martinair |
| Nord 262A | 1966 | 1970 | |
| Sud SE-210 Caravelle VI-R | 1977 | 1977 | leased from Sterling Airlines |