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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]
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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 |
History
editBlue Panorama Airlines
editBlue 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]
Luke Air
editIn 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]
Destinations
editBlue 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]
Codeshare agreements
editBlue Panorama Airlines maintained Codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
Fleet
editAs 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. |
Accidents and incidents
edit- On 16 July 2004, a Boeing 767-300ER operating as Flight 1504 experienced an uncontained engine failure on takeoff from Rome-Fiumucino Airport. The plane returned and conducted a successful emergency landing. Investigation revealed that a high-pressure fuel hose leaked approximately 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) of fuel into the engine's nacelle during taxi, which ignited upon takeoff.[39][40]
- On 22 September 2018, a Blue Panorama Spanish pilot, Emilio Leone, was arrested by Albanian police as his colleagues reported him for trying to fly the aircraft intoxicated.[41]
In popular culture
edit- A Blue Panorama Boeing 757-200 and Boeing 767-300ER appeared in John Legend's music video for "Show Me".[42]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ^ "Elenco delle imprese titolari di licenza di trasporto aereo". enac.gov.it. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ^ Bartłomiej Morga. "Blue Panorama zbazuje w Polsce dwie maszyny. Obsłuży rejsy dla Itaki". Pasazer.com. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ^ a b c ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama, EGO Airways to be liquidated 23 December 2022
- ^ a b "Blue Panorama Airlines". Archived from the original on 2014-11-02. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ a b blue-panorama.com retrieved 28 September 2021
- ^ a b "Blu Express - ch-aviation.com". ch-aviation. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ fonte: Executive Blue web site[permanent dead link ]
- ^ a b ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama suspends flight operations 27 October 2021
- ^ "Profile on Blue Panorama Airlines - CAPA - Centre for Aviation". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ IATA. "IATA - Current Airline Members". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Blue Panorama Airlines". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ UBM Information Ltd. 2015 (6 December 2012). "Blu Express to Start Rome – Moscow Service from April 2013". Routesonline. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)[permanent dead link ] - ^ "Alitalia plans merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet". Reed Business Information Limited. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Alitalia to merge with Wind Jet and Blue Panorama Airlines". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Airline merger The integration of Blue Panorama, Wind Jet and Alitalia - eTurboNews.com". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Alitalia, Blue Panorama and Wind Jet plan to merge". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Alitalia moves ahead with a merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet". World Airline News. February 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Alitalia plans merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet". Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Integration of Wind Jet operations with Alitalia receives board approval". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Avionews.com - Alitalia will integrate Wind Jet: operation approved". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Italy's Blue Panorama enters bankruptcy protection". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ N. Tchallabes. "volaspheric". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Blue Panorama Airlines enters into bankruptcy protection and reorganization". World Airline News. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ N. Tchallabes. "volaspheric". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Blue Panorama applies for bankruptcy protection, continues operations". ch-aviation. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. "Albania, Belle Air stops flights". Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ Business Traveller. "Belle Air ceases operations - Business Traveller". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
{{cite web}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - ^ "Avionews.com - Blue Panorama confirms business continuity and that its flights are fully operational". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Blue Panorama Airlines enters administration, in negotiations with an 'international investor'". D.
- ^ "Another added fee: Airline required passenger to pay extra to add a middle name". Star Tribune. 27 July 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "Blue Panorama Airlines Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama proceeds with rebranding 6 January 2021
- ^ ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama applies for bankruptcy protection 1 November 2021
- ^ a b ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama retires both A330s 3 June 2022
- ^ "Route Map". www.albawings.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
- ^ "Blue Panorama Airlines". Aeropuertos.Net (in Spanish). 11 June 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ "Accident Boeing 767-3G5ER EI-CXO, 16 Jul 2004".
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Air accident real voice recording and flight data". YouTube.
- ^ "Ekskluzive/ Rinas, shmanget tragjedia në avionin me 200 pasagjerë, kapet i dehur piloti i Blue Panorama - Shqiptarja". Shqiptarja.com.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "John Legend - Show Me (Official Video)". YouTube.
External links
editMedia related to Blue Panorama Airlines at Wikimedia Commons