AlpiEagles

AlpiEagles is a small company in Italy. If the name seems to imply something a bit flashier than what you're used to hearing when it comes to budget airline monikers, there is good reason. AlpiEagles first started as an aerobatic squad in the north of Italy in 1979. It also made its planes available as air taxis for members of the squad and to important figures of the Veneto region such as politicians or local entrepreneurs.

The airline remained a small, regionally owned, fairly exclusive enterprise until 1996. That year it began as a private airline offering scheduled commercial flights for the general public on domestic routes within Italy. Since the company has always operated out of the Veneto region as a commercial airline, it uses Venice's Marco Polo Airport as its travel hub.

AlpiEagles aims to better connect Italy's northeast with the south of the country as well as the islands. It has managed to hold a good position for many north-south routes and has used this stability to expand its range to include neighbouring countries in Europe such as France and Greece, and goes as far as Bucharest and Timisoara in Romania. AlpiEagles now flies as far west as the Spanish capital Madrid.

AlpiEagles is currently expanding its ground operations to include Naples as well as Venice. The fleet is largely comprised of Fokker 100s. Aside from ten of these the company also uses two McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft. It is a well-maintained fleet, and in 2000 AlpiEagles became the first Italian company to receive rights issue Certification Authorisation for its technical maintenance staff.

AlpiEagles serves many of Italy's main destinations. They are Aleghero, Bari, Bologna, Brindisi, Cagliari, Catania, Lamezzia Terme, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, Venice and Verona. Internationally, AlpiEagles services Athens, Barcelona, Bucharest, Timisoara, Moscow, Nice, Prague and Valencia.