Blue Panorama Airlines

Blue Panorama Airlines S.p.A. is an Italian airline headquartered in Fiumicino operating scheduled and charter flights from Italy – especially Rome-Fiumicino and Milan-Malpensa – to various international destinations.[4] Blu-express is the brand name for low-cost short and medium range flights operated by Blue Panorama.[5] Additional business charter flights are operated under the name Executive Blue.[6]

Not to be confused with Air Bleu, Airblue, Blue1, Blue Air, JetBlue, Pacific Blue Airlines, or Virgin Blue.

Blue Panorama Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
BV[1] BPA[2] BLUE PANORAMA
Founded3 September 1998
Operating bases
Fleet size10
Destinations34
HeadquartersFiumicino, Rome, Italy
Key peopleLuca Patanè, President
Websitewww.blue-panorama.com

History

Blue Panorama Airlines
A now retired former Blue Panorama Boeing 767-300ER

Blue Panorama is a private Italian airline operating intercontinental, international, and national charter and scheduled flights.[5][7] It was founded in Rome in 1998 by Franco Pecci,[4] and has been an IATA member since 2002 (IATA code BV).[8][9] Since 2005, Blue Panorama Airlines' Boeing 737 fleet has operated national and international flights for the Blu-Express low-cost division.[10]

In January 2012, Alitalia declared interest in a merger with Blue Panorama, as well as with Wind Jet, another Italian airline.[11][12][13][14][15][16] In April 2012 Alitalia decided not to proceed with the acquisitions.[17][18] In October 2012, Blue Panorama entered bankruptcy protection.[19][20] This license gave the airline the ability to restructure itself.[21][22][23] On 25 November 2013, Blu-express started flights from Italy to Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza after Belle Air ceased operations there.[24][25]

In January 2014, Blue Panorama Airlines requested to be admitted to extraordinary administration procedure and the abandonment of the composition procedure in continuity.[26] The management of the airline is left to the company's founder. Blue Panorama confirmed that company business and flights are fully operational.[27]

Luke Air

In 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.[28] 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.[29] In January 2021, it has been announced the rebrand will go ahead.[30]

Destinations
Main article: List of Blue Panorama destinations

Codeshare agreements

Blue Panorama Airlines codeshares with the following airlines:

Fleet
Blue Panorama Boeing 737-400

As of January 2021, the Blue Panorama fleet includes the following aircraft:[29]

Blue Panorama Airlines fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Boeing 737-300 1 — — 148 148
Boeing 737-400 1 — — 168 168
Boeing 737-800 8 — — 189 189
Total 10 —

Controversies

For several years, it has been the policy of Blue Panorama Airlines to charge significant fees to passengers for minor name changes.[32] In most airports where it operates, the company charges passengers €50 to €80 to have their middle names added on their boarding pass.[33]

Accidents and incidents
  • On 16 July 2004, a Boeing 767 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 of fuel into the engine's nacelle during taxi, which ignited upon takeoff.[35][36]
  • 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.[37]

References
  1. "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. "Elenco delle imprese titolari di licenza di trasporto aereo". enac.gov.it. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  3. https://www.pasazer.com/news/40888/blue,panorama,zbazuje,w,polsce,dwie,maszyny,obsluzy,rejsy,dla,itaki.html
  4. "Blue Panorama Airlines". Archived from the original on 2014-11-02. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  5. "Blu Express - ch-aviation.com". ch-aviation. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  6. fonte: Executive Blue web site
  7. "Profile on Blue Panorama Airlines - CAPA - Centre for Aviation". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  8. IATA. "IATA - Current Airline Members". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  9. "Blue Panorama Airlines". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  10. UBM Information Ltd. 2015 (6 December 2012). "Blu Express to Start Rome – Moscow Service from April 2013". Routesonline. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  11. Reed Business Information Limited. "Alitalia plans merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  12. "Alitalia to merge with Wind Jet and Blue Panorama Airlines". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  13. "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.
  14. "Alitalia, Blue Panorama and Wind Jet plan to merge". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  15. "Alitalia moves ahead with a merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet". World Airline News. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  16. "Alitalia plans merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet". Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  17. "Integration of Wind Jet operations with Alitalia receives board approval". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  18. "Avionews.com - Alitalia will integrate Wind Jet: operation approved". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  19. "Italy's Blue Panorama enters bankruptcy protection". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  20. N. Tchallabes. "volaspheric". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  21. "Blue Panorama Airlines enters into bankruptcy protection and reorganization". World Airline News. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  22. N. Tchallabes. "volaspheric". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  23. "Blue Panorama applies for bankruptcy protection, continues operations". ch-aviation. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  24. Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. "Albania, Belle Air stops flights". Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  25. Business Traveller. "Belle Air ceases operations - Business Traveller". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  26. "Avionews.com - Blue Panorama confirms business continuity and that its flights are fully operational". Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  27. "Blue Panorama Airlines enters administration, in negotiations with an 'international investor'". D.
  28. austrianaviation.net - "Blue Panorama becomes Luke Air" (German) 26 October 2019
  29. "Blue Panorama Airlines Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  30. ch-aviation.com - Italy's Blue Panorama proceeds with rebranding 6 January 2021
  31. "Route Map". www.albawings.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  32. "Another added fee: Airline required passenger to pay extra to add a middle name".
  33. "Blue Panorama Airlines Customer Reviews".
  34. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6fcyTEqkeo
  35. "Accident Boeing 767-3G5ER EI-CXO, 16 Jul 2004".
  36. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJBlzal6g0k
  37. Shqiptarja.com https://shqiptarja.com/lajm/ekskluzive-rinas-shmanget-tragjedia-ne-avionin-me-200-pasagjere-kapet-i-dehur-piloti-i-blue-panorama. Missing or empty |title= (help)

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