Hello from Rome! I’m just kicking off my quick detour to Africa, and flew ITA Airways’ Airbus A320neo business class on the 1hr35min flight from Paris (CDG) to Rome (FCO). I’m a huge fan of ITA Airways in general, and have greatly enjoyed the Airbus A330-900neo and Airbus A350-900 business class experience.
So, how does the carrier’s short haul product compare, on flights between Italy and neighboring countries? Well, not very favorably, I must say. And it also seems like there’s quite a bit of variance, even within the carrier’s A320neo fleet. Even so, I can’t help but enjoy flying with ITA, as I find the staff to consistently be more engaging and charming than counterparts at other European carriers.
While I’ll have a full trip report soon, I wanted to share some initial thoughts on the experience…
ITA Airways’ A320neo business class cabin is super basic
Intra-Europe business class is rarely anything to get excited about, as the hard product is just economy with a blocked middle seat. This was no exception, though given that I was on a less than two-year-old A320neo, the cabin was at least modern, with pretty mood lighting, and large overhead bins (though that mood lighting sure makes taking pictures complicated).
Legroom wasn’t great, not that I was expecting it to be.
The tray tables were even smaller than usual.
But here’s what surprised me most — despite this being a pretty new jet, there were no power outlets onboard, and no Wi-Fi. Based on some of the other reviews I’ve read of the product, it seems other A320neos do have those amenities, so I guess the fleet is split.
It’s amazing how common this kind of inconsistency has become, even on new aircraft. I’m not sure if it’s due to supply chain issues with seat suppliers, or that the plane was initially intended for another airline. But it’s so strange how frequently airlines no longer even have consistency among new jets.
For example, I recently flew GOL’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 premium economy, only to not find the cabin I was expecting. That’s because GOL had picked up the jet from Donghai Airlines, and maintained the interior. So anyway, it seems there’s another version of ITA’s A320neos that are a bit snazzier, both in terms of cabin finishes and amenities.
ITA Airways’ business class catering wasn’t great
Italy is known for amazing food and drinks, and the airline has among the best business class catering in the world on long haul flights. However, on short haul flights it’s a different story, and it’s a complaint I’ve heard from others as well.
On this very early morning flight, breakfast consisted of a croissant, some sort of a little ham roll, a side of okay fruit, and a little packaged fruit smoothie. It wasn’t terrible, but I’d say it was somewhat subpar compared to what most other European airlines serve within Europe.
Flight attendants went above and beyond to be hospitable
ITA Airways has some really phenomenal, engaging employees, and this flight was no exception. The cabin manager came around to each business class passenger during boarding to introduce himself, and asked about everyone’s travels, encouraging us to let him know if we need anything.
Beyond that, ITA Airways offers pre-departure beverages in business class on short haul flights. Which other European airlines gives you a choice of pre-departure drinks on short haul flights within Europe? I can’t think of any (excluding Russian carriers and Turkish Airlines).
We had a bit of an air traffic control delay on departure, so the cabin manager came through the cabin to ask each business class passenger if he could get them something else to drink, including coffee. That’s just basic hospitality, but it’s such a nice touch you won’t find on so many other airlines.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve had long ground holds on carriers like British Airways and Lufthansa, only for the crew to stand in the galley chatting, and not offer passengers anything.
There’s just something to be said about flying with friendly people, and I’ve found that it’s an area where ITA is way above average.
Bottom line
ITA Airways’ short haul A320neo business class wasn’t quite as good as I was expecting. While the cabin was modern in terms of mood lighting and bins, there were no power outlets or Wi-Fi. The meal was also really basic, especially for an airline from a country that prides itself in cuisine.
That being said, the friendly crew left me with a favorable impression, thanks to their kindness and attentiveness, as they made the most of the limited items that they had to work with.
What’s your take on ITA Airways’ A320neo business class?
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