Italy says goodbye to its flagship airline, Alitalia, as it takes off for the last time today after 74 years in business.
The final flight, from Rome to Cagliari, will mark the end of the company’s history of financial problems.
Over the last 20 years, Alitalia has cost the Italian state around 13,000 million euros. The coronavirus pandemic turned out to be a fatal blow to the company.
Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA) has taken over the company, but will only employ 2,800 people.
Thousands of other Alitalia employees face unemployment.
On Monday, workers demonstrated in Rome to ask the government for support.
ITA will be wholly owned by the Italian government and will start with a fleet of 52 aircraft, with the number of aircraft increasing to 105 by the end of 2025.