ITA Airways began flying on Friday, the day after bankrupt Alitalia ceased operations after 74 years. 

It then emerged that ITA – Italia Trasporto Aereo – had paid a reported €90 million to purchase Alitalia’s brand assets. The deal includes Alitalia’s internet domain, livery and uniforms. 

ITA said: “The Alitalia brand was acquired with the aim of managing the transition to the new livery and reserving the right to future uses of the brand.”

However, commentators in Italy stress ITA will have a new identity and suggest the deal is to prevent a competitor reviving the Alitalia brand.

ITA has launched with a blue livery but retains the Italian flag tricolour on the tail.

ITA president Alfredo Altavilla said: “Today is the first day of a story yet to be written. The new brand and the new livery of our aircraft are the symbol of change, of the beginning of a different adventure.

"The new national airline is an integral part of Italy’s recovery strategy, and it is a result to which all stakeholders, starting with the institutions involved, have actively contributed”.

The airline will operate with a network of 44 destinations and 59 routes – 56 of them international.

ITA Airways will focus its activity on hubs at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate. It also has ambitions to replace Alitalia as a Skyteam member.

It will start with 52 aircraft, including seven wide-bodies, planning to grow to 78 in 2022.