National carriers often try to reflect the national characteristics of their countries, the reason you’ll hear Hawaiian music when you board a Hawaiian Airlines flight or are served great dim sum when you board Cathay Pacific among many other examples. Italy’s flag carrier Alitalia has too often reflected chaos, currently evidenced again in the carrier’s search for new funding to forestall going bankrupt.

Against this background, Air Italy is trying to assume the national mantle. Backed 49% by the deep pockets of Qatar Airways and created from the transformation of the modest, mostly regional carrier Meridiana Airways, the airline has just started long haul flights to Milan from New York (daily) and Miami (four times a week) with longer destinations in view.