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Flight #261 LAX to FCO.
I have flown many times LA to Roma. So different. And sad to me.
The crew. Just doing their job, pleasantly, but you know they don't care anymore. Too many examples to write but they still did their basic job requirements. And absolutely nothing more.

The business class passengers citizens of Italy. On the plane but, based on interesting conversations, say it is time to end this airline. They are done with Alitalia Airlines "sucking their tax money out of their pay checks". The business class meals, who I remember telling people that Alitalia meals are similar to some 4 Star restaurants, now offers food less appealing than a fast food restaurant. (Want an example? The butter, salt and pepper are provided at meals in the same paper package as you get at McDonalds or Burger King. I'm not snotty about presentation. But people who pay 5, 6 or $10,000 for a long haul business class seats should be served as they did in years past. And the chicken rolls were dry and disgusting.

The planes need renovations and you know that is not going to happen when they need money.

I loved this airline over the past many years. I am sad to see it end. And it will end.

afmiami

As an Italian expat I am as sad as you and even more. While I seldom fly AZ, seeing it go away will greatly sadden me. Too many years of unions incapable to see the reality have infused a culture to the employees that is almost impossible to change. Finally not only Italian people are sick and tired to subsidize the airline, but also politicians have said enough is enough.
Whoever will bid for AZ is not interested in saving the airline, they will be just looking for routes and maybe airplanes. This week I will fly MIA-FCO with AZ, first time in several years, maybe last time. Definitely sad.

RabbitohRob

Even sadder afmiami. Check this out.

Yesterday I flew from CAI-FCO and connected FCO to MEX, all in Business Class. The first sector was a small flight, insignificant 2.5 hours and hardly worth even commenting on.

But the second sector was just under 14 hours.

And I have to say, as someone who this year alone ( just 2017 ) has flown 128 flights ( 96 of those in F and J ), and around around 470,000 km flown ( happy to share my Flight Diary with anyone who is interested ), I honestly thought I had seen it all.

But this flight seriously goes down as the worst flight imaginable.

On boarding I found my own seat. The flight crew were too busy chatting amongst themselves.

And as I was settling-in, a scared, real-life cat jumped over me, having escaped from it's owner. And without any consideration for my safety, or the other passengers, this recalcitrant woman passenger dived over me and yelled so she could get the cat from under the seat.

What is a cat doing on an international flight of 14 hours? How is this allowed to happen? What if someone has an allergy? What if the cat pisses all over the place ( as cats are wont to do - territorial ). Has it had it's shots? Is it carrying diseases? How cruel and inconsiderate.

Meanwhile, while this was going on, the flight attendants are all standing around, doing bugger-all about it, having a good old chat together like it was an old-time reunion.

After take-off they rushed the meal service at the beginning of the flight ( we left around 1030am ).

The one bright note, the food was quite good.

But after that, for the rest of the flight, was I not offered a thing. Nothing. Not even a water or a juice or a coffee as any of them walked past my seat ( usually only on their way to and from the toilets ).

These [deleted by moderator per rules] flight attendants, instead, sat around in the galleys, for the WHOLE FLIGHT, holding small parties between themselves. It was simply appalling.

After a sleep of 6-7 hours I awoke. I waited and waited, finally in frustration I got up and asked for a bottle of water. "Sorry Sir, we are out. We only have small cups." What the hell!!

Then one guy did come with a small bottle, "Sir, I found this" he stated, "it's icy cold", I thanked him. But he did ask me to "hand the bottle back so they could re-use it". I swear, hand on heart, this is what he said. No exaggeration.

I asked for something to eat and was offered a small, very dry ham & cheese sandwich and a dry, reheated and reheated and reheated mini pizza, not even as big as a normal slice.

Later I got up out of my seat, went to the galley and asked for a coffee and the look I got was one of "How dare you interrupt us".

And a reminder to you, this is Business Class I am talking about.

I could go on about the ground staff, but I won't waste any more of my time.

This was so sad to see. The demise of his airline, caused in my opinion after my first ever flight with them, by the lazy staff. They are there for them and not for the paying passengers. And let no man or woman interfere! How dare he or she!

They are lazy, arrogant and not very well groomed. The uniforms look silly in this day and age but they do reflect the people I guess. ( ie; old, outdated and out of touch with modern travel )

The plane was old and dirty ( a Boeing 777-200 ). Filthy in fact. ( Imagine the poor bugger who sat in "cat-seat" on the return leg to FCO? ).

Imagine, if they only knew, a cat had been there, leaving it's cat-hair everywhere and its cat-piss on the floor or even worse, cat-turd possibly on the seat.

Unfortunately I will have to endure the return leg of my flight back to FCO in a few weeks. That is of course if the airline can stay in business until then.


I'm not an airline CEO but let me loose on this airline for 12 months and I would have it back to profit in a heartbeat.

First of all, a gigantic broom to sweep out the deadwood. Keep the good ones if they exist and make them sit on a Qatar Airlines flight to see how it is done in the 21st century.

With the airline about to go-under, you would honestly think these lazy flight attendants would be going out of their way to lift their game. Most of them on our flight were over 50 and the majority close to 60 so they probably have big pensions. Wouldn't they want to protect those pensions? The airline is on it's veritable knees and they carry-on in their lazy ways as they have always done.

[Omni comments deleted by moderator per rules.]

So be warned and beware people, this airline is going to die. Don't lose your money by booking with them.

In fact, put the airline out of it's misery now. In human terms we call it euthanasia.

So sad. Well, thinking about it, not really. Bye Bye Alitalia, may you RIP. You should have taken care of yourself while you were alive.

PS: Actually, before you remove the life-support, can you please wait until I have my return flight in mid-Septmber, too much hassle for me with insurance companies and getting other flights etc; Once I'm done, do it. Put it out of it's misery.

afmiami

Wow, really appalling!!! I will board in 4 hours prepared to the worse.
And then again back to Miami next week.
I agree with you that AZ employees always had an attitude like they were doing you a favor, that's why I avoided AZ as much as possible. They have been used to obtain whatever they wanted thanks to a powerful union that milked the governments over and over. Of course, a complacent government is to be equally blamed. Now it is going to be over, and probably they don't even realize it. So be it, my sadness will go away soon as there are plenty of options out there, and the Italian routes are too good not to be taken over by others.

AlicorporateUK

Agreed on most points even though admittedly I enjoyed a few pleasant flights (long haul) recently and I think it's just a shame to see a decent J product going down the drain like that (and after some marked improvements in recent years, mostly under EY). Concerning the overall attitude from the crew, nothing new I'm afraid and it doesn't just apply to AZ, I lived in Italy for quite a few years and customer service on the whole is just not part of the culture (people who experienced the joys of dealing with any public institution in Italy will no doubt agree).

G

AlicorporateUK

One of the reasons most of us love FlyerTalk is the variety in terms of users, posts, reviews and expertise, all offering valid ground for discussion and indeed representing invaluable source of advice. You started a very interesting review (as a first-timer on AZ) but then went completely off the track with comments (now moderated) that are indeed against the above described spirit (clearly off-topic and making no sense whatsoever), that's exactly where I stopped reading.

G

irishguy28

I actually like a fast - and early - meal service. I hate a dawdling, hours-long service. Especially on a night-time flight, but also on day flights!

And I am pretty sure he meant "recycle". Remember - English isn't his native language, and it's easy to mix up the three Rs!! (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle)

I'm afraid the unions wouldn't stand for that. Which is partly why the airline finds itself at this juncture.

RabbitohRob

I agree mate and until they bring down the unions the same thing will continue to happen.

Ocn Vw 1K

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thesaints

Reading a few posts above one could get the impression that unions are running Alitalia. Even if that were the case, immediate savings could be realized by cutting managers compensations.

Also, not sure how the cat episode might be AZ's fault. There are rules on which animals have to be accepted on board (Magnifica cabin included) and neither the unions, nor AZ management, wrote them.

Finally, I have travelled extensively on DL/VS and some AF business class and not once I have been escorted to my seat. I think that only happens on La Premiere and Ethiad's Residence.

rje444

We had a good crew flying JFK-FCO in business. Comparable to Etihad or Cathay Pacific. Very friendly and working hard. Many smiles and an eagerness to please. We actually were escorted to our seat.

The food quality however was a disappointment.

We fly back in early October. Will report how that flight goes (if they are still flying then!)

irishguy28

It's not uncommon on other carriers to be escorted to your seat in business, at least when there's not a backlog of passengers waiting to board and needing to be shown or directed to their seats.

afmiami

Now I am really sad. In a week I flew twice transatlantic in Magnifica, and particularly after reading RabbitohRob post, my expectations were extremely low. Well, I have to say the crew was excellent on both legs: friendly, professional, efficient. Food, particularly on the flight from Rome to Miami, was excellent. Yes, seats on the 330 are not last generation, quite narrow, IFE is sub par, but the overall experience exceeded by far my expectations. And perfectly on time too. Lounge in Rome was outstanding (Casa Alitalia in satellite E, close to gate 41). I had a pretty busy week of flying, with flights on LX (F and C), SQ C and GA C, and except LX F that of course was superior, the others in C were comparable. AZ was definitely better that Garuda, to my surprise. So, maybe I was particularly lucky with great crews, but oh boy will I be sad if will not see anymore the Alitalia logo around the world!!!