This week saw not only the partial-acquisition of ITA Airways by Lufthansa Group, but also the first of its 18 A330-900Neo aircraft which will form the backbone of its international fleet. The aircraft is the first to be fully realised with ITA Airways vision for the passenger experience, as the A350’s that are already flying for ITA were originally intended to head to Hainan Airlines.
As such the cabins aren’t exactly the same on the A350 and the A330Neos, most noticeably in Business Class and Premium Economy which now features hardware that is more becoming of an international Premium Economy experience.
“Today the strategic partnership with Airbus takes one step forward. I am delighted to be here in person at the Toulouse headquarter on the occasion of the delivery of the first Airbus A330neo completely built according to ITA Airways’ new cabin design” said Francesco Presicce, Chief Technology Officer of ITA Airways. “With Airbus, the unique aircraft supplier for our fleet, we have created a special synergy from the beginning, involving different areas of collaboration and business development, always with the aim of realising a more modern, comfortable and fuel-efficient air mobility, equipped with cutting-edge technologies”.
Naturally being a new Neo, the aircraft features an Airspace cabin – which provides the highest levels of comfort and increased cabin space including a new lighting system with multiple lighting scenes to help aid jet lag, sophisticated in-flight entertainment systems and full WiFi connectivity throughout the cabin. Comprising three (four) cabin classes, the aircraft has 291 seats. In Business the aircraft features a standard 30 reclining Thompson Vantage XL seats in a staggered 1 x 2 x 1 configuration which features a customised contemporary trim and finish.
In Premium there are 24 Safran recliner seats which include comfort and privacy wings by the head and hard shell backs. Meanwhile in Economy there are 237 seats, of which 36 are dedicated to Comfort Economy, again supplied by Safran.
The cabin of ITA Airways’ A330neo, designed by Walter De Silva, was inspired by the idea of “bringing back a pleasant as well as coherent sensation to the interior of the aircraft, one that was consistent with the choice of a journey above the clouds.” Comfort, elegance, simplicity and above all the use of natural materials and colours are at the core of the creative concept which aims at enhancing the quality of life on board and ensuring maximum passenger comfort during all flight phases. “Blue and sand are the predominant colours, while the utmost attention to detail is expressed by the embroidered logo on the headrests, the Italian flag to mark the Company identity, and the leather-wrapped Business seats,” continues the press release. The A330neo is also the first aircraft to feature stain-resistant fabrics seats in Premium and Economy class. An important feature is the progressive set-up of the natural lighting, which changes seamlessly based on the different situations on board.
It’s an interesting and bold colour choice, as most aircraft interiors teams will know that lighter coloured fabrics are much more costly to maintain, and it will be interesting to see how these stand up to the test of time. Emirates went through a similar process with the new Premium Economy seats featuring cream leather.
However, from a passenger experience perspective, if the interiors are kept well maintained the end result will bring high customer satisfaction, something Fiji Airways can acclaim to with a stream of positive comments across social media on its whiter-than-white cabin interiors which has now become an iconic signature brand image.
The addition of the blue ties in the exterior of the aircraft to the interior, which is needed to create a holistic brand image, although the placement of the blue panels on the seat visually narrows the seat, making them look a look smaller than they actually are. The use of them does however reflect the automotive touch that the airline is obviously leaning into, considering Italy’s connection to Supercars world.
All in all, this is an epic (second)-first impression for the new carrier, and we whole heartedly approve, from the epically detailed trim and finish across the cabins to the lighting details and sand carpets. The cabin is more akin to a private jet than a commercial carrier. Apart from the bulkhead logo treatment – which should be a proper 3D decal rather than perspex panel – the cabin is virtually faultless, and we hope that in a few years time it still holds up. ITA Airways is now a fully-grown up carrier that we’re now desperate to try in the near future.
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It’s pleasant enough. But I’m not wowed. Actually, nothing about ITA impresses me much. I’m still trying to get used to all that blinding blue on the planes, which to my mind says absolutely nothing about Italy. Even the Italian flag on the tail look bad against that blue.
Alitalia was such a great name. (It tripped off the tongue: AL-IT-ALIA). And their smart livery continued to look modern year after year. Financially they were a mess, yes. But I flew them fairly often over a span of 40 years and most of my flights were very enjoyable. ITA certainly isn’t making money, and will probably be acquired – sooner or later – by somebody. So to me all of this hoopla is over a ‘temporary’ airline.