Italy’s national airline, ITA Airways, has been nicely refreshing its fleet, as the airline has dozens of new aircraft on order. The airline is expected to take delivery of its first Airbus A321neo in the coming weeks, and it sounds like the carrier’s onboard product will be a very pleasant surprise.
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ITA Airways has nine Airbus A321neos on order
ITA Airways has nine Airbus A321neos on order, and the first such aircraft should join ITA Airways’ fleet in the coming weeks.
A321neos feature great fuel economy and range, and are used by airlines in all kinds of markets. They can efficiently be used for short haul flights, and can also efficiently be used for longer flights.
A vast majority of European airlines have just used A321neos to improve economics on short haul flights, by lowering unit costs. British Airways, Lufthansa, etc., have been using these aircraft on the same routes where they use other Airbus A320-family aircraft.
However, it seems that ITA Airways has different plans for its Airbus A321neos. The airline is expected to take delivery of its first A321neo in the coming weeks, and then deploy it on the Rome (FCO) to Tel Aviv (TLV) route as of December 2023.
While the A321neo doesn’t have the range to fly across the Atlantic from Italy, the airline does plan on using this plane in some premium medium haul markets, with a particular focus on the Middle East. In the future, ITA is reportedly considering flying the A321neo to destinations like Jeddah (JED), Kuwait City (KWI), and Riyadh (RUH).
ITA A321neos will be in a three cabin configuration
While ITA Airways hasn’t yet announced details of its Airbus A321neo cabins, the always observant @AirlineFlyer has notes that the airline has put A321neo flights on sale, so we now know what the seat map will look like. ITA’s A321neos will feature 165 seats, spread across three cabins, as follows:
- Business class will consist of 12 seats in a 1-1 configuration, spread across six rows
- Premium economy will consist of 12 seats in a 2-2 configuration, spread across three rows
- Economy will consist of 141 seats in a 3-3 configuration, spread across 24 rows (with the last row only having seats on one side)
Those are all the details we have as of now. I’m excited to learn more about what exactly the interiors will be like. However, I think it’s safe to say that ITA will offer a passenger experience that’s similar to what passengers get on long haul flights. The airline offers a lovely experience on its Airbus A350-900s and Airbus A330-900neos.
Bottom line
In the coming weeks, ITA Airways should take delivery of its first Airbus A321neo. The jet is expected to debut on the Rome to Tel Aviv route as of December 2023. While ITA hasn’t yet formally revealed the details of its A321neo interiors, the airline has published the seat maps for the plane, and I’m liking what I’m seeing. Expect these planes to have 12 business class seats with direct aisle access, plus 12 premium economy seats.
I’ll be sure to report back when ITA officially unveils the details of these cabins.
What do you make of ITA’s Airbus A321neo plans?
We are trying ITA for the first time next month/...
I would really like a premium economy product within Europe. Basically a free seat next to me, maybe drinks, but without the rest of crap that makes business expensive. Price it at maybe 175% of economy and I'll be buying it on most of my flights.
Is this the first 3 class configuration on a European short haul plane? I can’t think of any others? Maybe SAS but it’s used for US flights not short haul.
I wish another European carrier would follow suit but I doubt it.
A three class config narrowbody, yeah this will end well...
I always have a chuckle when you describe a cabin as 'snazzy'.
Anyway, glad to see ITA putting an effort with premium heavy A321neos. There's a premium market to Italy to fill these planes.
21,500 Virgin Atlantic points in J for this route (under 1,500 miles).
Good spot
Kudos to their design team to not put the coffin flap on the window side.
I'm flying ITA from Rome to Cairo in the end of December. I wish they would put it on that route by then! Any chance ITA's second A321neo is also beginning service in December?
Most European airlines fly narrowbodies in their intra European configuration to Cairo, so ITA could really differentiate itself. Otherwise, Air France operates an A350 to CAI, while BA, LX, ITA, Austrian, and LH use A320 family aircraft (BA uses its...
I'm flying ITA from Rome to Cairo in the end of December. I wish they would put it on that route by then! Any chance ITA's second A321neo is also beginning service in December?
Most European airlines fly narrowbodies in their intra European configuration to Cairo, so ITA could really differentiate itself. Otherwise, Air France operates an A350 to CAI, while BA, LX, ITA, Austrian, and LH use A320 family aircraft (BA uses its intra-European A321neo, while pre-covid, even they flew A321s with flat beds to Cairo, which I sure missed when I flew them last month).