Italian court orders Aeroitalia to change name over similarity to Alitalia
A court ruling in Rome issued last week has ordered the airline Aeroitalia to change its name and logo due to similarities with the historic Alitalia brand, now owned by ITA Airways. The judges concluded there is a high degree of visual and phonetic resemblance between the brands, leading to the prohibition.
The dispute began in October 2023 when ITA Airways, through its intellectual property office, challenged Aeroitalia’s branding on the grounds that it could mislead consumers due to its close association with Alitalia. Although a lower court initially rejected the claim, the appeals court overturned the decision.
According to the ruling, Aeroitalia must stop using its name and brand identity throughout the European Union starting January 1, 2026. Additionally, the airline must disable the domain aeroitalia.com within days of receiving the court order, facing a €1,000 daily fine for non-compliance.
ITA Airways CEO Joerg Eberhart welcomed the decision, stating it validates the legal effort to protect the “global value” of the Alitalia brand, which ITA purchased for €90 million in 2021. ITA has since adopted the tagline “Inspired by Alitalia” on some of its aircraft as part of a long-term brand revival strategy.
Aeroitalia responded critically to the verdict, saying it is considering an appeal to Italy’s Supreme Court. However, the airline also hinted it may use the situation as an opportunity for an international rebranding aligned with its growth vision.
One possible new name being considered is Italian Airways, already registered with the EU Intellectual Property Office. Still, experts warn that this could also face legal challenges due to its similarity to ITA Airways.
The ruling could reshape the branding landscape of Italy’s aviation market, especially since Aeroitalia plays an active role in regional connectivity, including territorial continuity flights to Sardinia and Sicily.
Aeroitalia was created by the former owner of Avianca and OceanAir
Aeroitalia was launched in 2022 with one of its partners being Bolivian businessman Germán Efromovich, a former partner of Avianca and OceanAir, airlines that experienced financial difficulties under his management and that of his brother, José Efromovich.
Created in 2002, OceanAir, which once flew as Avianca Brasil, went bankrupt in 2019. The following year, the businessman tried to acquire Alitalia, which was then in the midst of one of its management crises, but the Italian government did not consider the proposal.
The airline currently has a fleet of 14 aircraft, including Boeing 737 and Embraer E-Jets jets and ATR 72 turboprops.
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