About company

Meridiana fly is the second largest airline in Italy, providing domestic and international flights in the low-cost segment. Base airports are located in Olbia, Milan, Verona, Florence.

The company was founded in 1963 under the name Alisarda, after merging with Eurofly in 2010 it acquired its current name Meridiana fly. Home port is Costa Smeralda Airport in Olbia.

The airline's flights are deservedly popular among travelers.

Unlike many low-cost airlines, Meridiana fly provides free food and drinks on board, as well as reading magazines containing company information. On transcontinental flights, films or popular science videos are shown. There is a collection of cartoons for children.

The Hi-Fly customer loyalty program is designed specifically for frequent flyers. The maximum package of benefits is available when flying 12,000 miles per year or paying 350 euros for tickets in the same period of time. Owners of the service have access to additional luggage in the amount of 10 kilograms, a separate check-in desk, and priority service.

Air Italy (formerly Meridiana) sells inexpensive tickets to Italy. We flew to Naples for €110. Instructions for purchasing air tickets on the Air Italy website. Fares, luggage, online check-in, seat selection. What do you feed on board the plane?

The Italian airline Air Italy is the second largest airline in Italy. The first one is better known in our country - Alitalia, whose air ticket prices are not much different from Aeroflot. Until February 2018, Air Italy was called Meridiana and was known only to those who flew domestic flights within Italy. Since 2014, Meridiana-Air Italy has been flying from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but now flights from Russia have been cancelled. We managed to fly Moscow-Naples. Look for convenient flight options through the aviasales search engine.

Purchasing air tickets on the Air Italy website

The website airitaly.com (formerly meridiana.it) is available in 7 languages, including Russian. You do not need to register or join the Meridiana Club in advance to start booking, but if you have an account, you will be able to buy tickets faster.

1. Search is located on the main page of the site. First, scroll through the entire page and go to special offers - select the departure airport, you will be shown the minimum prices, click on the offer and proceed to selecting flights. Or immediately fill out the search form by selecting the point of departure and arrival, dates, number of passengers, children/age. It is convenient to select flights by opening the calendar; the best prices are marked “best price”
2. Rates. Air Italy has 3 Economy class fares (introduced on 02/03/2016): Light, Classic, Premium. The cheapest Light fare includes 1 hand luggage no more than 8 kg (55x40x20). If this is not enough for you, choose Classic, it includes checked luggage up to 23 kg (the sum of 3 dimensions does not exceed 158 cm). The difference between these fares is €10-20 one way. The Premium fare is significantly more expensive, it allows the carriage of 2 pieces of luggage up to 23 kg each, choice of a seat in the cabin, ticket refund, priority boarding. Air Italy business class is called Electa.
3. Passenger details: first/last name, date of birth, passport number with dates and country of issue, telephone, e-mail.
4. Payment by credit card, the money is withdrawn immediately and an e-mail is sent with the name “Acquisto on line”, which contains an attachment with a ticket (Transportation Document) and a Baggage receipt. The electronic ticket has a number and an alphanumeric code. It is recommended to print all this out. You can check the availability of your ticket in the system or make changes (cancel, change, add services, reprint) by going to your reservation.

Contact with Air Italy via Call Center, social networks (Facebook, Twitter), Whatsapp.

Online check-in and selection of seats on the plane

Online check-in for Air Italy flights is only available for departures from the airports of Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Florence, Milan Linate/Malpensa, Naples, Olbia, Rome, Turin, Verona. Check-in opens 7 days before and closes 2 hours before departure. For Light and Classic fares, a free selection of Economy Standard seats opens 30 hours before departure; you can do this immediately at the time of booking by paying an additional €6-9. Choosing more comfortable Economy Preferred seats costs €30 at any time.

Flying with Air Italy

When checking in at the airline counter, it was enough to present your passport; no printouts were required. Since Air Italy is not a low-cost airline, they do not have a framework for checking baggage sizes, but they do pay attention to weight. We checked in one suitcase up to 23 kg for two, we took a small suitcase and a backpack into the cabin, each weighing no more than the permitted 8 kg, and we also had an umbrella-cane with us. Carriage requirements are standard, please read them before your flight.

We flew on a Boeing 737-700 with 148 seats, 3 seats in each row, no business class. All team members speak Italian and English. Meals on board consist of a sandwich (filled ciabatta) and a sweet biscuit. Drinks include 2 types of juice, water, soda, tea, coffee. If you ask for tea with lemon, keep in mind that the lemon is in the form of a concentrate. We arrived there and back on schedule.

The Meridiana fly company provides domestic air transportation services, as well as international flights. The activity was started more than 50 years ago, and currently in Italy this company ranks second. You can buy air tickets from Meridiana fly online or at the ticket office of one of the airports.

Flight zones

The company operates throughout Europe. Currently there are 90 destinations available. The approximate number of flights per week is 1,500 to different destinations.

7 transcontinental destinations, 32 domestic destinations, 48 ​​flights covering other European countries are available to the company's clients.

The location of base airports covers the following settlements: Olbia, Milan, Verona, Florence.

There are two direct flights to the islands of Rhodes and Tenerife. There are direct non-stop routes to almost all capitals of European countries.

There are several destinations that allow passengers to travel to the USA, Seychelles, Maldives, Moscow, and Kyiv.

Fleet composition

The fleet consists of 27 aircraft, which belong to three different brands. The exterior design is white, with the names of the manufacturing companies written in red letters. These are MD-82, Airbus A320 and Boeing. The latter provided 10 vessels that can accommodate more people - the maximum figure is 200.

The easiest way to find the cheapest Meridiana airline tickets is online in the Avianiti search engine. The search will compare the final cost of plane tickets with offers from airlines and agencies. You can buy Meridiana air tickets by searching on the official website of the airline or agency.

Meridiana flight tickets

Meridiana sells air tickets for flights to other countries in Europe, Russia, Africa, and the USA. A selection of popular destinations (cities) where you can buy Meridiana flights.

Promotions and special offers

Meridiana Airlines often offers cheap flights to.

Airfare

Meridiana air tickets are divided into 5 fares: Light, Classic, Premium in economy class and Electa Promo and Electa Flex in business class. Air ticket fares differ in terms of baggage transportation, terms of return, exchange and additional options that the carrier provides to passengers at the airport and on the plane during the flight. The cheapest air tickets are sold on the Light baggage-free fare.

Baggage and hand luggage

The cost of Meridiana airline tickets includes the carriage of hand luggage weighing up to 8 kg. The amount and weight of baggage depends on the air ticket fare and class of service. The exception is the baggage-free Light fare, the price of which includes only hand luggage.

The Avianiti search shows how much baggage is included in the air ticket price. You can add luggage when booking tickets, online check-in or at the airport.

Meridiana airline information

Meridiana Airlines is a private air carrier. It operates regular and charter flights throughout Italy, connecting major Italian airports with the island of Sardinia, as well as such destinations as the Canary and Balearic Islands, Greece and Egypt. Meridiana's main international destinations are the USA (to New York from Naples and Palermo), Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg), Mauritius, Kenya, Zanzibar, Madagascar, Cape Verde, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Santo Domingo, Cuba and Brazil.

• Aviation Alliance: not a member
• Mileage program: Meridiana Club
• IATA:IG
• ICAO: ISS

Aircraft

Meridiana operates a fleet of 13 aircraft: McDonnell Douglas MD82, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737-700, Boeing 767-200 and Boeing 767-300. The airline should complete fleet modernization by spring 2018. Meridiana will replace its long-haul fleet with new aircraft and will operate Boeing 787T, Airbus A320 and Airbus A330.

Meridiana Fly is the largest Italian air carrier, consistently ranking second in terms of passenger traffic after the famous Alitália airline. This private company was able to achieve such recognition and popularity in no small part due to its focus on providing low-cost transportation for its clients. It is no coincidence that on some routes the company is positioned as a low-cost airline and offers very competitive prices for air travel.

The company, which has gone through difficult periods of reorganization in its lifetime, is today a stable supplier of high-quality and affordable transportation throughout the Italian airspace, operating regular and charter flights there. It copes well with the responsibilities of a carrier on flights within the European region, and also organizes transcontinental flights. That is why the services of Meridian Fly are in demand both among Italian travelers and among tourists from other European countries.

About history

The history of the company lasts more than half a century, but in its current form, with a new name, its existence is not so long.

The Italian airline Meridiana Fly has almost half a century of flight history, starting back in 1963. Then the Alisarda enterprise was created, which became the progenitor of the modern Meridiana. Italy at that time was experiencing another tourism boom, and the famous billionaire, an ardent fan of alpine skiing and yachting, Prince Karim Aga Khan the Fourth, began to develop the then underdeveloped Emerald Coast of Sardinia for tourism.

This zone soon turned into one of the most fashionable resort places in the world, and it was decided to satisfy the increased needs for tourist transportation by creating its own airline.

Having initially set a course only for charter flights, over time the company conquered more and more airspace, changing its name to Meridiana by the 1990s.

The Fly part was added as a result of a merger in 2010 with another carrier, Eurofly, which also operates on Italian airlines. This became a necessary measure in order to jointly survive the difficulties of the crisis period in the European economy. The merger of the two aero giants not only administratively, but also technically gave a new impetus to development. The rebranding brought not only a change of name, but also a change in focus on new areas of activity, which led to an increase in passenger traffic and an increase in company revenues.

Bottom line: it is currently developing dynamically and was even able to absorb the famous Italian charter carrier Air Italy in 2011.

The company has several base airports, the main one of which is in Olbia (Costa Smeralda), where the company's headquarters is located. Besides this there are also other hubs:

• Milan;
• Cagliari Naples;
• Florence Peretola;
• other local airports.

IATA code is IG.

ICAO code is ISS.

The address of the Russian representative office in Moscow is st. Bolshaya Sadovaya, 10, office 20.

Tel.: +7 495 699 5219, +7 495 981 1400.

The official website of the Italian airline “Meridiana Fly” is www.meridiana.it.

This is interesting! The annual volume of passenger traffic within Italy and abroad for this company is more than 4 million people.

Where do they fly?

Meridiana Fly currently offers a wide range of flights, including domestic flights and short-haul international flights. Thanks to this, as well as the presence of an extensive network of airports in the main resort and tourist spots in Italy, you can easily reach not only Italian Sicily, Naples or Sardinia, but also other destinations:

• Canary Islands;
• Egypt;
• Greece;
• Red sea.

In addition, it is possible to take advantage of the offer of cheap low-cost airline tickets on specialized websites. For example, Skyscanner promises an order without additional fees.

Note! The official website meridiana.it offers information in Italian, English, French, Spanish, German). There is no Russian page in the new version yet. It is worth knowing that the company sells tickets both for its own flights and for planes of other carrier companies with which it works under partnership programs. It is recommended to obtain all information when booking tickets.

Company's aircraft fleet

The company's fleet is completely new and quite diverse, reflecting the results of the merger of the two airlines.

Today it is mainly represented by Boeing 737 (700 and 800), 767-300 aircraft. There are also Airbus A320 airbuses with 180 passenger seats, these seats are distinguished by increased comfort, and the entire interior of these seven airbuses of the company is unusually festively decorated. In addition, the company's fleet includes Next Generation Boeing 737s, as well as long-haul Boeing 767s and short-haul MD-82s.

In total, the fleet has about 30 aircraft, the average age of the aircraft is 18.3 years. The fleet includes a dozen McDonnell Douglas MD82s, which are quite exotic today. The unusual thing about the aircraft is that they meet increased environmental requirements and are also equipped with the latest cabin equipment technologies. Aircraft of this type are used on domestic flights, and the reviews receive the most positive.

Meridian's recent acquisitions include the purchase of the latest two models of Boeing 737-300 WL airliners. According to the leaders of Meridiana Fly, this is not the limit of the renewal and size of the fleet.

Classes of service and conditions

Meridiana Fly offers passengers service in different classes:

• economy class – the flight takes place in comfortable leather seats, with a choice of cold and hot drinks;
• business class - leather seats are more comfortable due to the back support system and electrically controlled backrest position. Availability of individual lighting and monitor, a large selection of entertainment programs with clips, films, etc. Increased comfort due to the increased distance between the seats.

Meals on board include breakfast, lunch or dinner (depending on flight time and departure time). You can place an order for special meals 48 hours in advance. In business class flights they offer a list of excellent wines, including those delivered from Florence. They complement the exquisite menu of traditional Mediterranean dishes.

What else is on the menu? Regular long- and medium-distance routes are accompanied by meals for passengers in the form of free desserts and snacks, which, according to reviews, are tasty, although small in size.

Transportation of children and animals

The company offers a service for transporting unaccompanied children with control over them from boarding to acceptance by parents/welcomers. This is a paid service and must be ordered in advance.

Transportation of infants under 2 years of age is allowed without payment and without provision of a seat. It is only important to take care of a return ticket in advance for those children who will cross the two-year mark during the trip, so that there are no problems with flying back.

A free bassinet is provided for babies (for intercontinental flights). You can also take a stroller with you into the cabin if it is foldable and does not take up much space. In any case, the staff on board tries to meet the needs of mother and child in providing the baby with a sleeping place. Infants are also provided with special nutrition, the need for which must also be notified to the company in advance.

As for animals, this is a rare case when passengers with pets are allowed on board the ship. You can take up to four pets with you on the plane, but no more than a couple of cages. The service must be arranged in advance, reservations must be made at least 12 hours in advance.

Tel.: 00 39 0789 52682 – this is the number of the call center for ordering the transportation of animals in this company. The price of transportation ranges from 40 to 70 euros in the passenger compartment, from 60 to 100 euros in the luggage compartment (depending on the flight distance).

How is luggage transported?

The company uses the same standards that apply when transporting hand luggage and baggage in other European companies. They comply with the National Security Program and therefore prevent the carriage of certain items prohibited by international air travel regulations.

You are allowed to carry one piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 8 kg with volume restrictions: the sum of all three dimensions of luggage is limited to 55 cm.

Baggage allowances depend on the tariff: since 2016, the company has had three tariffs (Light, Classic, Premium). The cheapest Light fare allows for one piece of hand luggage measuring 55x40x20 cm and weighing no more than 8 kg.

The average Classic fare allows for checked baggage with a total volume of no more than 158 cm and a weight of no more than 23 kg. If the difference between the first and second tariffs is not so significant and ranges from 10 to 20 euros, then the Premium tariff is significantly more expensive, but it allows for the possibility of transporting two bags weighing up to 23 kg for each seat.

Meridian's business class is called Electra, and its weight limit is 30 kg. Baggage in excess of what is allowed in the tariff is paid additionally at the rate of 70 euros, the third piece of luggage will cost an additional 150 euros. You can also place a baby stroller weighing no more than 10 kg in the luggage compartment free of charge.

There is a loyalty program that implies special conditions for passengers who fly the company's planes frequently. Under this program, FLY-PASS tickets are purchased, in this case the weight of free baggage in economy class will be 30 kg, in business class - 30 kg for two suitcases or bags.

Registration procedure

Check-in for the flight is carried out, as usual, at the counters upon departure. The company's loyalty program offers dedicated check-in for passengers who regularly use its services, just like for business class passengers.

There is no online check-in for departures from Moscow, although you can select a seat on the plane in advance. The link to the site where you can make such an online choice is https://www.meridiana.it/seatwci/RecallPNR.aspx?language=it.

You can check in online for departures from the following airports:

• Cagliari,
• Catania,
• Florence,
• Milan Linate/Malpensa,
• Naples,
• Olbia,
• Rome,
• Turin,

Registration begins seven days before departure, and ends two hours. Online check-in is paid, if the passenger wants to choose a seat, the payment price depends on the class of service. When checking in 30 hours before departure or later, passengers can use the remaining seats of their choice free of charge.

Additional services

When flights are postponed or delayed, the client receives a notification by email, which is convenient.

For entertainment on board, they offer issues of a corporate magazine with the same company name and the usual social and entertainment information, mainly related to tourism. Long-distance flights are brightened up with interactive programs with films, games, and music. Short flights are complemented by short documentaries or short comedies and cartoons.

Bonuses

“Hi-Fly” is the name of a bonus loyalty program that encourages regular customers. This is a well-known system for accumulating flight miles. To become a participant in the program, a passenger must have flown at least 12 thousand miles or spend 350 euros per year on company tickets.

Passengers loyal to the carrier have cards: “Gold” and “Red”. This is not only quick access to purchasing tickets and check-in for a flight, but also price discounts and a stay in the VIP lounge. The company’s special catalog offers regular travelers the opportunity to purchase the goods they need for free using points accumulated from flights. For example, branded towels or children's bed linen, a hairdryer, a shower robe and other amenities.

Video

In the prestigious rating of the British agency Skytrax, Meridiana Fly is listed among three-star airlines in the world, which means high-quality work of an average level. At the same time, an absolute advantage is the combination of an affordable price, pleasant for most passengers, with good European-level service and the presence of a modern and safe aircraft fleet.