Now it can be said: Goodbye Alitalia and hello ITA. Alitalia is shutting down, forever.

While the end of the airline has been clear for months ago, Alitalia has officially announced that it will cease flying starting October 14, 2021. All flights beyond this date are all cancelled and passengers can now start requesting for a refund or travel before the airline stops flying on October 14. From October 15, 2021, Italy will have a new flag carrier – ITA! ITA will kick off a new era of Italian aviation in a simple and small celebration.

The date of Alitalia’s closure coincides with the arrival of ITA, which will make its first flight on October 15, 2021 as reported. The heavily-discussed replacement carrier previously received its Air Operators Certificate (AOC), clearing the last hurdle before starting its operations.

It is reported that ITA will be acquiring most of Alitalia assets. ITA stands for Italia Trasporto Aero.

And why even during a pandemic they create a new airline? The Italian government said it’s cheaper to create a new one than to maintain an old one.