Eurofly
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | May 26, 1989 |
| Defunct | February 28, 2010 |
| Fate | Merged with Meridiana to form Meridiana Fly |
| Headquarters | Milan , Italy |
Area served | International medium- to long-distance leisure destinations |
Key people | Giovanni Rossi (CEO after 2006), Sandro Capotosti (former CEO) |
| Products | Passenger air transport (leisure flights) |
| Parent | Meridiana (from 2006) |
Eurofly was a Milan-based private airline in Italy. Traded on the MTA Stock Exchange and operated under the control of Meridiana, it stood as Italy's foremost leisure airline, specializing in international medium- to long-distance point-to-point services.
Its medium-haul network primarily served destinations in Egypt and the Red Sea Riviera, Spain, and Greece. For long-haul travel, Eurofly flew to sought-after tropical spots including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and various African locations. During the summer season, the airline offered direct scheduled flights to New York City, capitalizing on seasonal demand differences relative to tropical routes and attracting inbound passengers to Italy. The brand promoted itself with the slogan The Italian [air]way of life.
In 2010, Eurofly combined operations with Meridiana, resulting in the formation of Meridiana Fly.
History
Founded on 26 May 1989 with the purpose of marketing medium-haul flights through tour operators, Eurofly commenced its services on 26 February 1990. Initially, ownership was divided among Alitalia (45%), Olivetti (45%), and San Paolo Finance (10%), as Alitalia sought to broaden its presence in the leisure travel segment.
In 2003, Alitalia divested an 80% share for $10.8 million to Spinnaker, a Luxembourg-based private equity firm managed by Italian bank Banco Profilo. By January 2004, Spinnaker had acquired full control of Eurofly, with CEO Sandro Capotosti (founder of Banca Prolilo) and Paolo G. Alberoni leading the company. The airline went public on the Milan Stock Exchange in December 2005. At the close of 2006, Spinnaker sold its remaining 29.95% stake to Meridiana; Giovanni Rossi, CEO of Meridiana, then took over as Eurofly's CEO.
After two rounds of capital increases in January 2008, Meridiana's ownership rose to 46.1%. On 28 February 2010, Eurofly merged with Meridiana to create Italy’s second-largest carrier, named Meridiana Fly.
Destinations
Prior to its integration with Meridiana, eurofly had codeshare partnerships with both Air One and British Airways.
Fleet
As of February 2010, Eurofly’s fleet composition was:
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-115(LR) | 1 | 2006 | 2007 | I-ECJA leased |
| Airbus A320-214 | 16 | 2001 | 2010 | leased |
| Airbus A330-200 | 5 | 2002 | 2010 | leased |
| Boeing 737-400 | 1 | 2000 | 2000 | TC-AFM leased from Pegasus Airlines |
| Boeing 767-300ER | 3 | 1998 | 2003 | |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 | 2 | 1992 | 1993 | I-RIFP, I-RIZW leased from Alitalia |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 8 | 1995 | 2005 | leased or transferred from Alitalia |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 5 | 1994 | 2004 | leased |
See also
External links
- Official website (Europe)
- Official website (Europe)
- Official website (India)
- Official website (United States)
- Official website (U.S. Vacations)
- Eurofly fleet details