Air Malta and ITA Airways, Alitalia's successor, have signed a codeshare agreement connecting the networks of the two airlines.

The partnership applies from flights departing this Sunday.

Air Malta said the arrangement will offer travellers more options and better flight schedules when travelling through the two airlines’ hubs in Rome and Luqa.

Following this agreement, ITA Airways’ and Air Malta’s customers will fly seamlessly to their destination with a single ‘unique’ ticket.

ITA Airways will apply its ‘AZ’ code on all services operated by Air Malta between Italy and Malta. Similarly, Air Malta will codeshare AZ flights between Malta and Rome, connecting Italian domestic services beyond Rome Fiumicino Airport and Milan Linate and selected connecting international services.

ITA Airways made its debut flight on Friday, closing a turbulent chapter that witnessed the decline of the country's storied but ill-fated Alitalia after 74 eventful years.

ITA has been formed out of the ashes of the loss-making Alitalia, which was placed under state administration in 2017 but deteriorated further during the coronavirus pandemic.

Under a deal agreed with the European Union, the new debt-free venture has taken over half of Alitalia's planes and landing slots, but thousands of staff are out of a job.