After 18 years service, Alitalia will operate its last 767-300 flight as AZ845 27OCT12 Lagos(LOS)-Rome Fiumicino(FCO). AZ’s 767s when they first arrived back in 1994 were actually Australian registered (rego’s VH-ITA and VH-ITB) under a wet-lease arrangement with Ansett Worldwide Leasing/Nordstress. Tech and Cabin crew were recruited in Australia and subsidiary company “Alitalia TEAM” was created using a lower cost base model to the standard AZ mainline crew. Due to strong Italian industrial laws AZ used this strategy to bypass paying local wages and award conditions.

At one stage the AZ 767-300 fleet was 12 strong as proved to be a true workhorse for the airline flying most of the inter-continental network.