Air Dolomiti
Air Dolomiti S.p.A. L.A.R.E is an Italian regional airline, wholly owned by Lufthansa. It is a member of Lufthansa Regional and has its head office in Dossobuono, Villafranca di Verona. Its main bases are at Munich Airport and Frankfurt Airport in Germany.
Air Dolomiti operates routes from several Italian destinations to and from Munich and Frankfurt. Most of these services are sold under the Air Dolomiti brand and codeshare with Lufthansa, while a few remain under the Lufthansa brand.
History
Foundation
Air Dolomiti was established on 30 December 1989 by the Linee Aeree Europee . The airline's name derives from the section of the Alps known as the Dolomites. It started airline operations in January 1991 with a Trieste-Genoa route. In 1992, the airline started international services with flights from Verona to Munich.Takeover by Lufthansa
After several years of co-operation, Lufthansa acquired a 26% stake in January 1999 and increased it to 52% in April 2003 and 100% in July 2003. Although most Lufthansa Regional subsidiaries operate under their parent's name and colours, Air Dolomiti retains its own identity.The airline employed some 748 people in June 2020. At one time the airline's registered office was in Dossobuono, Villafranca di Verona, while the airline's executive headquarters were in Ronchi dei Legionari.
In September 2018, Lufthansa announced it would expand Air Dolomiti's fleet significantly by 12 pre-owned Embraer 190 and 195 aircraft to be transferred from sister company Lufthansa CityLine. However in late 2021, Lufthansa stated that the transfer was no longer confirmed and may be continued later or on a smaller scale if at all. Later on, two Embraer 195 were transferred from Lufthansa CityLine by spring 2022. In late 2022, Lufthansa confirmed it would transfer further aircraft from Lufthansa CityLine to Air Dolomiti to strengthen the group's presence in Italy after its bid to take over ITA Airways fell apart.
In March 2024, Lufthansa announced plans to expand Air Dolomiti's fleet to 25 aircraft within the year, as the subsidiary is scheduled to take over more routes within the Lufthansa Group network.
Destinations
, Air Dolomiti operates routes from Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport to 26 destinations in Italy, as well as to other European countries on behalf of its corporate parent, Lufthansa.Codeshare agreements
Air Dolomiti has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:Sponsorship
Over the years, Air Dolomiti has established various partnerships and sponsorships. Its Settimocielo onboard service collaborated with renowned chefs such as Simone Rugiati and Giancarlo Perbellini, as well as with JRE Jeunes Restaurateurs. The airline also partnered with prominent wineries, including Aneri, Marchesi Antinori, and Masi, which was named Air Dolomiti’s "Wine of the Year" for 2018.Fleet
Current fleet
, Air Dolomiti operates the following aircraft:| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
| 9 | — | 108 | ||
| 18 | — | 120 | ||
| Total | 27 | — |
Several of Air Dolomiti's aircraft were named after Italian operas, as a tribute to the city of Verona and its ancient theatre, the Arena di Verona. The remaining christening names are removed during the repaint into the new livery.
Former fleet
In the past, Air Dolomiti previously operated the following types of aircraft:| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
| ATR 42-300 | 16 | Dec 1993 | Feb 2011 | |
| ATR 72-500 | 13 | Mar 2000 | May 2014 | |
| BAe 146-200 | 1 | Jul 1998 | Aug 1998 | Leased to Flightline. |
| BAe 146-300 | 5 | Apr 2005 | Sep 2009 | |
| Bombardier CRJ200 | 5 | Mar 2001 | Oct 2005 | Leased to Eurowings. |
| 3 | Oct 1990 | Sep 1994 | ||
| Fokker 100 | 2 | May 1999 | Dec 1999 | Leased from Alpi Eagles. |
Accidents and incidents
- 7 November 1999: Air Dolomiti Flight 2708, a Fokker 100, wet-leased from Alpi Eagles, flying from Venice, Italy, with 44 on board suffered landing gear failure while on the runway at Barcelona, Spain. It came to rest safely on a grassy area near the runway.
- 24 August 2008: An Air Dolomiti ATR 72, operating flight LH3990 from Munich, Germany, to Bologna, Italy, abandoned take off due to smoke alarm. The airline treated the evacuation of the aircraft as a minor incident, but on August 26 an amateur video, filmed by a bystander, circulated on television and the Internet. The footage shows tense moments of some 60 passengers jumping from and fleeing the burning plane before the fire department extinguishes the flames.
- 17 May 2012: An Air Dolomiti ATR 72-500 operating on flight EN-1912/LH-1912 from Munich to Venice returned to Munich after the right engine shut down and smoke was discovered in both cockpit and cabin. Shortly after touchdown the plane deviated from the southern runway and came to a standstill about 80 metres into the grass covered side strip. The nose gear was reported to have collapsed in the process. Of the 58 passengers and four crew members aboard, five passengers were reported to have received minor injuries.