02/28/2009. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "First flown from Hamburg, Germany, registered as D-AVWX on August 15, 2000, the aircraft was subsequently delivered to the Belgian airline SABENA registered as OO-SSJ, immediately being put into operation with the Swiss airline Swissair. Just two months later, October 28, the aircraft was returned to SABENA, ceasing operations on November 7, 2001, while on February 20, 2002 it was registered F-WQQG to Dia Grape Ltd. Since April 2, 2004 it is operated by Meridiana, registered as EI-DFA.

The origins of Meridiana go back to 1963, when the airline Alisarda was established at Olbia, Sardinia, Italy, on March 29, to develop the tourist industry in the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) on the north-eastern coast of the island. Operations were started in 1964 with an eight-seat twin Beech 18. The company name was changed to Meridiana on May 3, 1991, and presently it operates eighteen McDonnell Douglas MD-82 and four Airbus A319-112."