ALITALIALINEE AEREE ITALIANE

Italian international airline founded in 1946 and, by the late 20th century, serving more than 120 cities in Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Australia. Headquarters are in Rome. The company was established in 1946 as AlitaliaAerolinee Italiane Internazionali and flew its first route, from Turin to Rome, in 1947. In 1957 it merged with the other Italian airline, LAI, or Linee Aeree Italiane, and the current name was adopted. In succeeding decades Alitalia's holdings tended to become conglomerate, with the acquisition or establishment of catering companies, hotel chains, resorts, a property management company, insurance and reinsurance companies, a data-processing company, and Alitalia International Holding SA (in Luxembourg), which is engaged in acquiring holdings in foreign firms.