Qatar Airways expects Meridiana to be Italy's 'real' national carrier

Qatar Airways will back Meridiana to be Italy’s top airline, supplying it with wide and narrow bodied jets to help expand its network, CE Akbar al-Baker said Saturday. Qatar Airways announced Thursday it had acquired a 49% stake in Meridiana’s new parent AQA Holding, with previous sole owner Alisarda retaining 51%. Qatar Airways will “massively grow” the airline, including a relaunch with new aircraft and new branding and an expansion of its European and international network, al-Baker said. Meridiana will “over the next 6 months” start taking delivery of widebody Boeing 787s or Airbus A330s, and narrowbody Boeing 737 MAXs ordered by Qatar Airways, he said. He did not say how many aircraft Meridiana would take. <br/>