Meridiana was an Italian private airline founded in 1963 as Alisarda, originally serving Sardinia and later expanding to a broader network of Italian domestic and international routes. It was rebranded as Meridiana in 1991 and grew to become one of Italy's largest independent carriers, offering scheduled and charter services across Europe, Africa, and beyond. The airline underwent significant changes in 2011 when Air Italy merged with Meridiana, and the combined entity operated under the Meridiana brand for several years. It was later rebranded as Meridiana fly and eventually transitioned to the Air Italy brand in 2018 following investment from Qatar Airways. Meridiana was known for its focus on leisure travel, particularly serving tourist destinations in Sardinia, Sicily, and other Mediterranean locations. The airline ultimately ceased operations under the Air Italy name in February 2020 after the carrier was placed into liquidation.