Introduction, booking and routing
Hello FlightReporters
Last time I visit my family in Rome was in mid-March
When I was there I plan my next visit in order to spend Easter vacations with them.
I gave a look to Trenitalia and Italo train companies and the total price was nearly 200 euros, while flying with ITA Airwas would cost me 135. The drawback of flying is the baggage limit, but the difference was to big.
I decided to travel to Rome on Holy Thursday and came back to Milan one week later. I chose to fly back to Milan on Thursday since I'm always free of lessons.
For both flights I took 14:00 flight to avoid early wake up
Flight routing
- 1AZ2049 - Economy - Milan → Rome - Airbus A319
- 2
BEFORE THE FLIGHT
Online check-in is available 48hrs before departure. ITA Airways app still has some issues, especially in the frequent flyer log-in. However the check-in operation is quite easy to use
Italy still requires a Covid-19 self-certification to travel, even on domestic flights
With the flight departing at 14:00 I decide to be at the airport no later than 12:30
Even if Linate Airport is located 5km from my house, the journey requires around 50 minutes and 2 transfers. I get off the house at 11:30 and, as usual, I looked for a car sharing. I found one a few minutes walking and grabbed it
The service costs 21 cents per minute and if the car is left or rent at the airport there is an addition of 6 euros
For the 20-minute ride I spent 10 euros, very convenient compared to Uber (around 30 euros) or taxi
Forlanini Avenue, the access road to the airport
At noon I arrived at Milan-Linate "Enrico Forlanini" Airport
Shared cars can be left in a specific area of P2 Parking, located at the top level
This gives a very nice view of Milan skyline…
…and airport apron
ITA Airways A320 in "Born in 2021" special livery can be seen behind the pipelines
The parking is linked to the terminal through a covered walkway, it took just 5 minutes to get inside
The check-in hall
Since I had more than one hour before boarding I made my way to ITA check-in desks to get the printed BP
ITA Airways check-in located at the far end of the terminal
The agent checked my ID and my European Covid Certification
She wrote "OK GP (Green Pass)" on the boarding pass
As reported on the FIDS boarding would be at gate A8
Nostalgia…
Having nothing to do landside I went straight to the security checkpoint
Before accessing the area the Covid Pass was checked. I was able to skip the line and get to the baggage control
I was airside in 5 minutes
The lady at the control told me that Linate is the only airport in Italy where liquids can exceed 100mL limit, due to most-advanced machines installed
Mandatory passage through the duty free
Main departure lounge
FIDS showing my flight to be on time
SPOTTING TIME
Since boarding was scheduled for 13.20 and I had fifty spare minutes I made a bit of plane spotting
Linate is quite spotter friendly since boarding gates have very big windows opened on the apron
SAS A320neo
WizzAir A321neo taking off
ITA Airways A320 being towed to its stand
All AZ planes equipped with new livery are given a name of a famous Italian sportsperson
This one is dedicated to 2-time Olympic medallist swimmer Federica Pellegrini
Guardia di Finanza (Italian police force responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling) ATR42MP "Surveyor"
VistaJet Malta Bombardier Challenger 605
ITA Airways A320 in old livery landing
Volotea A320 taking off
I checked on FlightRadar if our plane had already been assigned and I discovered it would be EI-IMO, painted in new ITA livery
The plane was parked straight in front of me, meaning we'd board through an apron bus
Perfect, I'd be able to take tons of pics to this amazing livery
THE FLIGHT
I spent the rest of the waiting walking around and having lunch
As boarding time approached I went on the ground floor to my gate, A08
Boarding started perfectly on time at 13.20
The bus ride was quite short and in a bunch of minutes we reached or bird for today
ITA Airways Airbus A319, EI-IMO, delivered to Alitalia in July 2002 and equipped with 144 seats in mixed C-Y configuration
The plane, still part of ITA's fleet and painted in new livery, is named after Adriano Panatta, one of the strongest Italian tennis players
Boarding was a bit slow since the crew checked everyone's BP at the door
I took some pics in the meantime
Air France and ITA Airways A320s parked at the terminal
Two pieces of Italian style: the terminal, designed by renowed architect Aldo Rossi and Emporio Armani branded hangar
ITA Airways A319 in old Alitalia livery
Getting onboard I was able to take many pics of the blue A319
Maybe it's not the most common livery design, maybe the paint it's heavier, but the result is kinda good
Cannot wait to see it in person on A330s and A350s
The interior is standard and still has old Alitalia style
Only the headrests carried new ITA's logo
The view from my seat, 23A
Unfortunately the window was scratched
Boarding ended a few minutes after
The plane didn't seem full
Fortunately the seat next to mine was empty
Safety recommendations were give in the meantime
At 14:00, the scheduled departure time, we left the gate
British Airways A320
ITA Airways A320s
Taxiing to RWY36
A few minutes after leaving the gate we started our take off run
General aviation sector
Milan city center in the distance
Banking over eastern suburs
It's incredible how this part of Italy is flat
Snowy Alps are visible at the horizon
Flying over Po Valley, also known as Pianura Padana (Padan Plain)
The city of Piacenza below us, in the right lower corner
The cable-stayed bridge of Milan-Bologna High Speed Line and the A1 Motorway viaduct over Po river
Parma and Reggio-Emilia in the distance as we pointed south
Taro river, a tributary of Po which flows near Parma
Tuscan-Emilian Appenines marks the border between Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany regions
Lucca and Pistoia, in Tuscany
Arno river valley, connecting Florence to the seaside
20 minutes into the flight a choice of cold and hot drinks was served
I went for orange juice, which was good
Corporate pic
After the drinks the crew distributed a branded chocolate wishing "Happy Easter" to passengers
The chocolate was provided by Majani, an italian chocolate manufacturer
A light layer of clouds appeared
35 minutes after leaving Linate's ground the cabin was prepared for landing
Meanwhile we started to fly over northern Lazio coast
Tarquinia town in the left hand side of the pic
Civitavecchia power plant
The city of Civitavecchia hosts one of the most important and busy harbour in central Italy
It's the main port serving Rome
An interesting line up of cruise ships: Costa Venezia, MSC Virtuosa, Oceania Cruise Riviera and MSC Poesia
The crew distributed this small paper asking a donation for Ukraine
What a good action
Descending over Rome countryside
Bracciano Lake in the distance
We'd land from north
Last moments on air…
Runway 16L for us today
A few minutes before 15, 13 minutes earlier than scheduled, we touched down at Rome "Leonardo Da Vinci" International Airport
Landing was quite long and rough
Vacating the runway
Cargo hub
Poste Air Cargo Boeing 737s and ITA Airways A320
ITA Airways Boeing 777
Pier A1-10
Transavia Boeing 737, easyJet A320 and Ryanair Boeing 737
Another Ryanair Boeing 737 parked right in front of the new transfer building
It would open during 2022 to ease connections between Terminal 1 and 3
Docking at gate E12, located at the beginning of pier E11-24
arriving (maze) in fco
Disembarking trough the jetway
Love this fuselage shot
Another ITA Airways A320 parked next to us
This part of the airport was used originally as non-Schenghen gates, but after Covid it started to handle domestic and Schenghen flights
Last view of my plane
Bye bye Adriano Panatta!
Even if pier we disembark is located in Terminal 3, all ITA's operations are handled at Terminal 1. This means that a long walk is necessary to reach the arrival area.
Since FCO is undergoing big improvement in the connection between T1 and T3 the path is longer than usual and happen in a serie of dark and crampy corridors
To avoid passengers with special needs to walk too much the airport provides free shuttle with golf-carts inside the terminal. According to the banners this situation would end between summer and the end of 2022
In theory, passengers with cabin baggage only can exit from T3 arrivals area, but since I had an appointment with my dad outside T1 I walked straight to it
The new Terminal 1 departure lounge, opened in November 2021
No doubt about the place
R(H)ome Sweet Home
See you at the return flight
Hi Carlo, thanks for a very nice and details review as always!
With the cost of flying so much less than the train, it was a no-brainer. How chic that there's an Armani-branded hangar at Linate!
The ITA livery is really growing on me the more I see it. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but the blue really is quite beautiful and so nice not to have boring white like every other airline.
That's a nice touch! Too bad they don't do that on all flights
Good to hear. A solid service concept and protocols is so important for new carriers to establish a good reputation. So far from what I've seen of ITA it's a bit confusing with so much Alitalia still around and minimal service on board on domestic flights. It seems European routes are a bit better with at least some snacks. I haven't seen any long-haul ITA reviews yet so I'm really curious to see what that is like. Looking forward to the 350's entry into the fleet. The ITA colours look amazing on the A350 from what I've seen.
Thanks again for sharing, it's really cool to get to discover ITA through your reports!
Grazie
Hi Kevin
Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate!
I had the same feeling of you when I saw the first rendering of ITA livery, but now I have to admit that the result is amazing. Surely it wont be confused ahaha
About the service the sensation is that they're trying their best to "bury" Alitalia asap
For example when I flew in December the BP hold a simple logo with a normal font, now they have started to use the final ITA logo
There are only small parts still holding Alitalia brand
Really wish to try their long haul product soon and also to see how the A350s will look like both inside than outside
Good luck for everything :)
Thank you for publishing this flight report. And what a coincidence: On that day (Thursday 14.04), I was flying ITA airways from Palermo to Geneva via Milan LIN onboard EI-IKG (still in the old alitalia livery) and EI-EIC (in the new livery that I wasn’t scheduled to fly on but I’ll publishing the story another time on this website). I’m not sure if you managed to spotted my arrival into LIN but I’ll be appreciated if it’s the case. I did spotted your a319 later at about 6pm but I think you weren’t onboard anymore. Anyway thank you for writing this flight report!
Thank you!
Unfortunately I didnt spot your plane
How was your experience with ITA on the European leg? Looking forward to try their European and LH product...