ITA Airways becomes first Italian A350 operator

Italy new national carrier, ITA Airways, has taken delivery of its first A350, becoming the 40th operator of the type. The aircraft, which is on lease from ALAFCO, landed for the first time in Italy at Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport on Wednesday evening. ITA Airways’ A350 cabin is configured in a two-class layout, with 334 seats comprising 33 full lie-flat bed Business and 301 Economy seats.

ITA Airways’ A350 will start operations early June 2022 to serve the new intercontinental routes that the company will open in the summer season from Rome Fiumicino to Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.

In December 2021, the Italian carrier firmed up an order for 28 Airbus, including 18 Single Aisle (seven A220s, 11 A320neos) and 10 A330neos, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner. Moreover, ITA Airways already leased more than 50 additional new generation Airbus aircraft, six of which are A350s, to complement their fleet modernisation.

The Airbus A350’s clean-sheet design features state-of-the-art aerodynamics, fuselage and wings made of advanced materials, plus the most fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce
Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency and sustainability for ITA Airways, with a 25% reduction in fuel-burn and CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft. 

ITA Airways is a company totally owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance for the exercise of business in the air transport sector. ITA Airways aims at creating an efficient and innovative air carrier that will become a reference point in providing Italy with quality connectivity both in terms of international destinations, thus boosting tourism and foreign trade, and within the country, also taking advantage of the train-air integrated mobility. ITA Airways will place the best customer service at the center of its strategy (through a strong digitization of processes that ensure a best-in-class experience and personalized services), combined with sustainability, in its environmental (new green and technologically advanced aircraft, use of sustainable fuels), social (equality and inclusion for a gender-neutral company) and governance (integration of sustainability into internal strategies and processes) aspects. ITA Airways is a member of SkyTeam alliance as of October 2021. 

ALAFCO is a Kuwait-based aircraft leasing company and is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. ALAFCO’s portfolio consists of 77 aircraft, leased to 23 airlines in 17 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. ALAFCO’s remaining order book comprises 68 new technology aircraft with deliveries scheduled to take place between 2022 and 2028.