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Airline based in Fiumicino, Italy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blue Panorama Airlines S.p.A. was[4] an Italian airline headquartered in Fiumicino operating scheduled and charter flights mostly to domestic and international leisure destinations.[5] As of late 2021, the airline was in the process to change its brand name to Luke Air[6] also retiring their former Blu-express[7] brand used for domestic and short-haul destinations. Additional business charter flights used to be operated under the name Executive Blue.[8] As of late October 2021, it suspended all operations until further notice[9] and was subsequently liquidated in late 2022.[4]
You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Italian. (January 2021) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Founded | 3 September 1998 | ||||||
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Commenced operations | 26 December 1998 | ||||||
Ceased operations | December 2022 | ||||||
Focus cities | |||||||
Fleet size | 2 | ||||||
Destinations | 5 | ||||||
Headquarters | Fiumicino, Rome, Italy | ||||||
Key people | Luca Patanè (President) | ||||||
Net income | €2.7 Million (2018) | ||||||
Employees | 624 (2020) | ||||||
Website | www |
Blue Panorama is a private Italian airline operating intercontinental, international, and national charter and scheduled flights.[7][10] It was founded in Rome in 1998 by Franco Pecci,[5] and has been an IATA member since 2002 (IATA code BV).[11][12] Since 2005, Blue Panorama Airlines' Boeing 737 fleet has operated national and international flights for the Blu-Express low-cost division.[13]
In 2012, Alitalia declared interest in a merger with Blue Panorama, as well as with Wind Jet, another Italian airline,[14][15][16][17][18][19] but decided not to proceed with the acquisitions.[20][21] In October 2012, Blue Panorama entered bankruptcy protection.[22][23] This license gave the airline the ability to restructure itself.[24][25][26] On 25 November 2013, Blu-express started flights from Italy to Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza after Belle Air ceased operations there.[27][28]
In January 2014, Blue Panorama Airlines requested to be admitted to extraordinary administration procedure and the abandonment of the composition procedure in continuity.[29] The management of the airline is left to the company's founder. Blue Panorama confirmed that company business and flights are fully operational.[30]
In 2018 the airline came under fire as it has been the policy of Blue Panorama Airlines to charge significant fees to passengers for minor name changes.[31]
In October 2019, the airline announced it would be changing its name to Luke Air by the end of 2019, revealing a new yellow-blue livery on an Airbus A330-200 which was then due to be delivered.[32] On 7 March 2020, the first A330-200 was delivered. However, the rebranding had yet to take place. In late 2020, Blue Panorama retired their last Boeing 767-300ER.[33] In January 2021, it was announced that the rebrand will go ahead.[34] As of September 2021, the airline's official website had its content changed to Luke Air operated by Blue Panorama Airlines.[6]
On 27 October 2021, the airline announced the suspension of all flights stating financial difficulties in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Blue Panorama went through recurring restructuring proceedings in recent years.[9] Shortly after, it filed for bankruptcy protection.[35] In June 2022, it has been reported that the grounded airline retired both of their Airbus A330-200s leaving them without long-haul capable aircraft.[36]
In December 2022, it has been announced that the airline will be liquidated and not resume operations.[4]
Blue Panorama operated a network of Italian domestic destinations branded as blu-express as well as long-haul leisure flights mainly around the Caribbean.[citation needed]
Blue Panorama Airlines maintained Codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
As of November 2022, the Blue Panorama fleet no longer included any aircraft. The following types have been operated before:[33]
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A330-200 | 2 | 2019 | 2022[36] | |
ATR 72-200 | 1 | 2015 | 2015 | leased from Avanti Air[33] |
Boeing 737-300 | 2 | 2000 | 2000 | leased from Sterling European Airlines[33] |
2 | 2002 | 2003 | leased from Ukraine International Airlines[33] | |
1 | 2015 | 2020 | ||
Boeing 737-400 | 16 | 1999 | 2020 | some leased from Air Horizont and Hapag-Lloyd Flug[33] |
Boeing 737-500 | 1 | 2013 | 2016 | |
Boeing 737-800 | 10 | 2000 | 2022 | |
Boeing 757-200 | 2 | 2005 | 2012 | |
Boeing 767-300ER | 10 | 2002 | 2020 | |
Piaggio P.180 Avanti | 3 | 2009 | 2014 | Operated under the Executive Blue brand. |
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