ITALY: Air Italy Acquires First Boeing 737 MAX 8, Arrives In Milan - Malpensa

The first Boeing 737 MAX 8 delivered to an Italian carrier has finally arrived at Air Italy’s new operational base in Milan-Malpensa (MXP).

Following a 12-hour delivery journey from Paine Field (PAE), the plane flew non-stop to Shannon (SNN), Ireland for a refueling stop, before completing the trip with a two-hour, twenty-minute hop to Milan.

Flight Meridiana 2060 departed PAE at 13:25 local time, crossing Canadian airspace before entering central Greenland, southern Iceland, and reaching the Northern Irish coastline for its scheduled stop in SNN at 06:40 the following morning.

The aircraft was officially delivered at Boeing’s Delivery Center in Paine Field Airport (PAE) Everett, Washington on May 11.

At the occasion the Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, granted Airways a one-on-one interview revealing his thoughts on his new Italian venture.

This Boeing 737 MAX 8 for Air Italy is the first of a batch of 50 brand-new Boeing jets that will be delivered to Italian airline industry in the upcoming years.

The plane comes fitted with spacious, modern cabins, including a Business Class that will differentiate themselves from its competitors in the European marketplace.

According to Al Baker, the 20 new 737 MAX 8s will replace the current 737NGs that the airline currently operates. New planes will join the fleet through 2022, guaranteeing continuous growth.

Onboard the delivery flight were Al Baker with the Chairman of Alisarda and AQA Holding, Mr. Marco Rigotti, Director of Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) and AQA Holding Board Member, Mr. Sultan Allana, and Chairman of Air Italy, Mr. Francesco Violante.

Upon landing in Milan, the plane was greeted with the traditional water cannon salute, followed by a ceremony in which Al Baker cut the ribbon to mark the start of his new Italian venture.

During the press conference, the airline’s executives highlighted the importance of this first delivery, which will mark the pace for the upcoming five years.

It is truly a remarkable moment to be witnessing the launch of a new era in Italian aviation, declared Al Baker.

The touchdown of Air Italy’s first Boeing B737 Max in new livery at Milan marks the beginning of a new travel experience for the people of Italy, he added.

Al Baker admitted to being delighted to be supporting his newest investment by leasing five Airbus A330-200s from his Qatar Airways fleet.

These five wide-body planes will launch the airline’s long-haul network, which will eventually be boosted by the arrival of the first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners that Qatar Airways has ordered for them.

According to Air Italy, the first 787-8 should be delivered by May 2019.

Already announced, the carrier plans to launch long-haul flights from Milan to New York (JFK), Miami (MIA), Bangkok (BKK), and Mumbai (BOM).

From Rome, however, the airline plans to launch long-haul flights in May 2019, presumably when the first Dreamliner joins the fleet.

The first Boeing 737 MAX 8 routes will likely be domestic and regional services.

Air Italy has announced that connecting flights from Milan to Rome, Naples, Palermo, and Olbia will be launched immediately.

Flights to Catania and Lamezia Terme will be launched in July and September.

During the ceremony, not only the plane was shown to a large group of Italian and International media; the new Air Italy uniforms were unveiled as well.

Too similar to the Qatar Airways design, the new uniforms feature the traditional stewardess hat and equally cut jackets/skirts.

Several Twitter users have criticized the airline’s choice to mimic Qatar Airways’ design, fading away from the Italian personality that the airline’s name evokes.

However, it remains to be seen whether the long-haul, premium cabin product will be seen as all-new, leaving a question mark on whether the carrier will aim to deliver a unique product or just copy the already successful Qatar Airways lead.

The cabin of the first 737 MAX 8 features the typical 3-3 layout with seats dressed in different dark colors.

Up front, Business Class seats offer 33 inches of pitch.

Each seat comes equipped with a tablet-ready holder, as demonstrated by Italian journalist Leonard Berberi in his post.

Another feature fitted in the airplane’s galley is an espresso coffee machine, a must as said by some Italian journalists.

It hasn’t been disclosed by the airline when the first 737 MAX 8 revenue flight will occur.

The first Airbus A330’s arrival to the airline’s base hasn’t been confirmed by Qatar Airways or Air Italy.


Tourism Observer

TAIWAN: EVA Adds 22nd Boeing 777-300ER Reveals Brand-new Corporate Identity, Livery Design

EVA Air, a Star Alliance member, was established in 1989 as Taiwan's first privately owned international airline. It is part of the respected Evergreen Group and a sister company to global container-shipping leader Evergreen Line. It flies a fleet of close to 70 Boeing and Airbus aircraft to more than 60 international destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America. With just one easy stop in Taipei, travelers can connect onward to most major cities throughout Asia, including 29 destinations in China.

EVA Air took delivery of its 22nd Boeing 777-300ER (registration numbers B-16725) at the Boeing factory in Everett, WA on 11 November, 2015. With the delivery, EVA unveiled a new corporate identity system and livery. EVA Chairman K.W. Chang and Boeing Vice President Jeff Klemann led the ceremony. EVA Chairman, a certified pilot who has earned the rank of captain, took charge of the cockpit for the ferry flight to Taipei and departed Seattle’s Paine Field Airport at 13:30 (1:30 pm).

“EVA became a launch customer for the 777-300ER in 2005 and the aircraft has become the backbone of our long-haul fleet. By the end of 2017, we will be operating more than 30 Boeing 777-300ERs,” said EVA Chairman K.W. Chang. “We launched our new generation Boeing 777-300ERs last year and significantly upgraded our inflight services and cabin environments. Today, we unveiled a new livery design to herald our continuing commitment to service innovation. We aim to give our passengers flying experiences that are even more comfortable and enjoyable, and that include fun and entertainment along the way.”

EVA’s new corporate identity retains its original compass design, borrowed from the logotype of the respected Evergreen Group and symbolizing the airline’s seamless network and services. In the livery, the simplified tail design establishes the compass as the focal point for the EVA Air brand and represents the carrier’s commitment to quality service and flight safety. The elegant curve that flows the length of the aircraft and the dark-green belly showcase “The New EVA Difference” in the livery design. Together, these livery design elements illustrate EVA’s commitment to becoming a globally respected airline and to maintaining consistency in its core identity and values.

EVA also revealed new inflight music to accompany the new livery. The airline worked in cooperation with renowned soundtrack master Ricky Ho to create a sound for the boarding experience that makes flying more relaxing and enjoyable. Ho used the ocarina, an ancient wind instrument and type of vessel flute, to specially create three melodious pieces, “Love is the Answer,” “Horizon” and “All things bright and beautiful.” The free-flowing sound of the ocarina has a worry-free quality. It is the perfect instrument for creating a unique and pleasing atmosphere for boarding and take-off. Ho methodically tested and adjusted the bass and treble in different cabins on several aircraft to make sure passengers are welcomed aboard EVA flights by beautiful music.

Ho also adapted popular Taiwanese folk songs for EVA’s new landing music, including “Rainy Night Flower,” “Craving for the Spring Wind,” “The Valley of Peach Blossoms,” “Lonely Love Flower,” “White Peony,” “The Tea Harvesting Song” and more. EVA chose the peaceful, catchy melodies to share beauty and charms of Taiwan with passengers.

EVA will add seven more Boeing 777-300ERs and six more A321-200s by the end of 2016. After all of its new aircraft are delivered, EVA’s fleet will include more than 80 airplanes. EVA will deploy its new 777-300ERs on North America routes. The new aircraft will equip EVA to increase its North American services to 77 flights a week by the end of 2016.