Has anyone flown the ITA inter-europe flights in BIZ?
Apr 19, 2022, 5:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta Diamond Medallion& 2 Million Miler; Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 453
Has anyone flown the ITA inter-europe flights in BIZ?
Just wondering how the service/food are now.
We have a R/T in biz in early June from LHR to FCO.
Thanks in advance!
We have a R/T in biz in early June from LHR to FCO.
Thanks in advance!
Apr 20, 2022, 12:03 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: TRS & SFO, sometimes BRU & NYC
Programs: DL DM; AFKL FBE; ITA Exec
Posts: 212
Had many ITA flights in European C class (FCO <> BRU, LHR, CDG) as well as domestic C (branded as 'superiore'; FCO <> TRS, CTA, PMO, LIN). It is comparable to other EU business class: middle seats are blocked, drinks and light meal included except domestic. It feels that they adapted the standards from old AZ, which were comparable to AF, or BA, better than KL or SN, perhaps a notch behind LH, definitely not as good as LX.
May 1, 2022, 10:02 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
Flying LHR-FCO on ITA in Biz this week, and back 10 days from now. Will report if there's anything of interest to note. Flying with ITA to avoid the current BA farce..... we'll see how that plays out!
May 6, 2022, 2:37 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
Check-in: even though I had filled out passenger locator forms, we were required to complete further forms before being allowed to check-in. The check-in agent herself was pretty grim-faced.
Lounge: the Plaza Premium Lounge (A3) is dark and dingy, with no natural light. It is also filthy. The staff (predominantly Bangladeshi), while very willing, clearly have no idea that when they clear a table they need to wipe it off as well. Armchairs are covered with old stains, and the general impression is horrible. Food offerings when we were there ranged from a kerala curry through a chicken and leek stew, to macaroni cheese. Five hot choices altogether. My wife tasted them all, and pronounced them pretty awful. We settled on a rather good rainbow bean salad and some couscous. Wines at the bar were like battery acid, and the only gin available was Gordon's. We'd have done better to get something nice to eat at Pret and had some natural light.
At the gate: The boarding process began (gate A18), but on reaching the bottom of the escalator we were informed that the aircraft was not yet ready and there would be a brief delay. This turned into a long delay, with the result that eventually people coming down the escalator could not physically get off it as there was no room for them — surely a health and safety issue. We finally boarded about 15 minutes before the advertised departure time.
On the plane: Sitting in 1A and 1C, the overhead locker contained two large flight attendants' handbags, so ours had to go further back. Above row 3 was a large crew rollaboard, too. The aircraft seemed clean. The seat between us had square and round indentations, the round one for glasses. Legroom fine, even in the bulkhead row. Flight crew consisted of one male FA for business, two female FAs for economy.
During the flight: No pre-departure beverage was offered. Pushback was 15 minutes late. The seatbelt sign was not turned off for about half an hour, and nothing happened for another fifteen minutes after that, when plastic glasses of water or orange juice were offered. An hour into the flight, we finally received a meal: mediocre bread roll and butter, shredded salad with separate oil and balsamic dressing in a small bottle, pasta in a creamy sauce (no meat or veg), and a synthetic tiramisu. Wines offered were an undistinguished prosecco and a Puglian merlot (go figure!). No white wine available (apparently Prosecco counts as white….). The merlot was thin and watery.
Arrival: Flight time was billed as two hours instead of the advertised two hours and forty minutes, but was in fact a little longer, so, coupled with the late departure arrival was about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. No problems at passport control (electronic gates are now working properly) and priority bags were the first to arrive at the carousel.
We took this flight instead of a BA alternative, in the hope that it wouldn’t be rescheduled or cancelled as seems to be certain with BA these days. We were proved right. While the food and service were unexceptional, the seat was comfortable and we arrived in a timely fashion. Now hoping that the return will be as trouble-free.
Lounge: the Plaza Premium Lounge (A3) is dark and dingy, with no natural light. It is also filthy. The staff (predominantly Bangladeshi), while very willing, clearly have no idea that when they clear a table they need to wipe it off as well. Armchairs are covered with old stains, and the general impression is horrible. Food offerings when we were there ranged from a kerala curry through a chicken and leek stew, to macaroni cheese. Five hot choices altogether. My wife tasted them all, and pronounced them pretty awful. We settled on a rather good rainbow bean salad and some couscous. Wines at the bar were like battery acid, and the only gin available was Gordon's. We'd have done better to get something nice to eat at Pret and had some natural light.
At the gate: The boarding process began (gate A18), but on reaching the bottom of the escalator we were informed that the aircraft was not yet ready and there would be a brief delay. This turned into a long delay, with the result that eventually people coming down the escalator could not physically get off it as there was no room for them — surely a health and safety issue. We finally boarded about 15 minutes before the advertised departure time.
On the plane: Sitting in 1A and 1C, the overhead locker contained two large flight attendants' handbags, so ours had to go further back. Above row 3 was a large crew rollaboard, too. The aircraft seemed clean. The seat between us had square and round indentations, the round one for glasses. Legroom fine, even in the bulkhead row. Flight crew consisted of one male FA for business, two female FAs for economy.
During the flight: No pre-departure beverage was offered. Pushback was 15 minutes late. The seatbelt sign was not turned off for about half an hour, and nothing happened for another fifteen minutes after that, when plastic glasses of water or orange juice were offered. An hour into the flight, we finally received a meal: mediocre bread roll and butter, shredded salad with separate oil and balsamic dressing in a small bottle, pasta in a creamy sauce (no meat or veg), and a synthetic tiramisu. Wines offered were an undistinguished prosecco and a Puglian merlot (go figure!). No white wine available (apparently Prosecco counts as white….). The merlot was thin and watery.
Arrival: Flight time was billed as two hours instead of the advertised two hours and forty minutes, but was in fact a little longer, so, coupled with the late departure arrival was about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. No problems at passport control (electronic gates are now working properly) and priority bags were the first to arrive at the carousel.
We took this flight instead of a BA alternative, in the hope that it wouldn’t be rescheduled or cancelled as seems to be certain with BA these days. We were proved right. While the food and service were unexceptional, the seat was comfortable and we arrived in a timely fashion. Now hoping that the return will be as trouble-free.
May 9, 2022, 12:26 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Milano-London
Programs: ITA Executive
Posts: 165
It seems completely random whether they do this or not. Presumably it depends if the FAs can be bothered, which is terribly unprofessional.
Why do they do that? It's definitely my perception that on any other airline the captain makes an effort to switch off the seatbelt sign at the earliest opportunity (allowing people to go to the loo, open the tray table and get out electronics). But on ITA (and previously Alitalia) they seem to wait forever. I wonder if it's some dumb ENAC rule which nobody has ever thought to challenge. (A bit like the ridiculous prohibition on putting coats in overhead lockers, introduced for Covid reasons -OK, in early 2020 we didn't know how it was transmitted, but we now know that infected coats aren't the issue!- which ITA persists with, and is extremely annoying when in Economy on a full flight. In fact, one reason to enjoy flying the German Airways-operated flights from LIN is that they don't announce or enforce this ridiculous rule).
--
As for the Premium Plaza lounge at T2 I hear what you're saying, but after 6 months of there being no ITA lounge at Heathrow at all, I'm happy for what I can get. (I didn't think the food was that bad....there were also some cold options. Maybe I'm just lower maintenance than your wife!
)
May 13, 2022, 10:11 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LON
Programs: QF Plat & LTG, VA Plat
Posts: 1,435
During the flight: No pre-departure beverage was offered. Pushback was 15 minutes late. The seatbelt sign was not turned off for about half an hour, and nothing happened for another fifteen minutes after that, when plastic glasses of water or orange juice were offered. An hour into the flight, we finally received a meal: mediocre bread roll and butter, shredded salad with separate oil and balsamic dressing in a small bottle, pasta in a creamy sauce (no meat or veg), and a synthetic tiramisu. Wines offered were an undistinguished prosecco and a Puglian merlot (go figure!). No white wine available (apparently Prosecco counts as white….). The merlot was thin and watery.
May 14, 2022, 4:33 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
It's worth saying that the return trip was infinitely better than the outbound.
Check-in: very quick and efficient. SkyTeam priority was empty. Be aware that it's a long walk through the airport after that to the E concourse. You may be tempted to stop at the Duty Free store and purchase, but there is another Duty Free establishment further along so you don't have to carry the stuff you bought so far. Signage is badly positioned. Gates E1-4 are clearly signed, but the indications for other gates are hidden behind the escalator leading up to the eating establishments on the first floor....
Lounge: The ITA lounge (near gate E11) was large, airy and pleasant. Food offerings were good. You cruise around the island buffet, which is roped off, and do not help yourself: someone (in my case a very nice girl) will serve you whatever you ask for. The bar attendant was surly, and only interested in helping Italians.
It was here that I first noticed a very large person (Italian) chatting up (know-all coupled with fake bonhomie) the bar staff and indeed anyone else who would listen. More on him below.
It's another lengthy trek to the gate we were flying out of (E39).
At the gate: The very large person spent the entire time as leader of the gate lice, chatting up the gate agents. I wondered if he was trying to blag himself an upgrade. As soon as priority boarding was announced, he was through in a flash and down the escalator to the jet bridge, where we caught up with him a minute later, standing at the front of the line (we were nos. 3 and 4 in the line) talking to another of the gate lice, still showing off how much he knows about flying with this airline, and making sure that no one got past him and his rollaboard and large second item. I murmured to Mrs 1P that I was sure he was going to take a lot of the overhead space as soon as he got on.The plane was not ready to receive us, so we stood for a number of minutes as the jetbridge heated up in the Roman sunshine, but towards the end of the wait the air conditioning was turned on.
Boarding the flight: I was proved correct. As we boarded the aircraft, the very large person put his rollaboard and large second item in the overhead directly above our seats (1D and 1F), meaning that our more modest hand luggage had to go further back. There is in fact no storage space above 1A and 1C (he was in 1C) on this aircraft, unlike the aircraft we had had on the outbound, and I'm guessing that our friend is a frequent flyer on this route and already knew that beforehand.
On the plane: The crew of three female FAs was a total contrast to those on the outbound. The one serving the business cabin was totally charming and went out of her way to be helpful. One of the gate agents came onto the plane and pointed out our very large friend to the cabin crew, presumably to ensure that he was treated well.
No pre-departure beverage was served, but within a short time of take-off our FA was on her feet offering drinks and a savoury snack. Our very large friend was annoyed that she served us before him, and stumped off to the bathroom even though the seatbelt sign was still on (as on the outbound, it stayed on for far longer than seemed necessary). He then started in on the prosecco, of which he consumed a great many during the first part of the flight. We had a glass of very acceptable white wine.
Meal service was prompt, with drink refills, and once again we were served ahead of our friend. The main was a pleasant vegetarian lasagna, plus salad and dressing on the side, two excellent Roman rolls each with butter, and a chocolate brownie. After the meal and several more drinks, including the grappa and limoncello that were offered, our friend slumped in his seat and slept stertorously for the rest of the flight. The girl in 1A had a hard time trying to get in and out to use the bathroom.
Arrival: We landed ten minutes early in spite of a late departure and the usual Heathrow interminable stacking over Biggin Hill. There was no gate ready for us when we did finally land, so there was a 10-minute wait until we reached the gate. I stood up as soon as the seatbelt sign was turned off to put on my coat. Predictably, DYKWIA friend was right there, trying to get his bags out of the overhead above our seats, almost knocking me over in his haste. "Piano, piano!" I said to him, but he was not to be denied his ambition of being first off the plane as well as first on, and banged my shoulder as he tried to extract his rollaboard. I'm sure someone reading these lines must know who this guy is. I would say his heart attack is well overdue.
The passport egates worked well, and once again priority bags were first on the carousel.
The planes and uniforms are still largely Alitalia, but the experience was generally a happy one. Overall, the service is about the same as for business class on other European carriers, the seat is better than some, and I would certainly fly ITA again in preference to BA the next time I need to be in Rome.
Check-in: very quick and efficient. SkyTeam priority was empty. Be aware that it's a long walk through the airport after that to the E concourse. You may be tempted to stop at the Duty Free store and purchase, but there is another Duty Free establishment further along so you don't have to carry the stuff you bought so far. Signage is badly positioned. Gates E1-4 are clearly signed, but the indications for other gates are hidden behind the escalator leading up to the eating establishments on the first floor....
Lounge: The ITA lounge (near gate E11) was large, airy and pleasant. Food offerings were good. You cruise around the island buffet, which is roped off, and do not help yourself: someone (in my case a very nice girl) will serve you whatever you ask for. The bar attendant was surly, and only interested in helping Italians.
It was here that I first noticed a very large person (Italian) chatting up (know-all coupled with fake bonhomie) the bar staff and indeed anyone else who would listen. More on him below.
It's another lengthy trek to the gate we were flying out of (E39).
At the gate: The very large person spent the entire time as leader of the gate lice, chatting up the gate agents. I wondered if he was trying to blag himself an upgrade. As soon as priority boarding was announced, he was through in a flash and down the escalator to the jet bridge, where we caught up with him a minute later, standing at the front of the line (we were nos. 3 and 4 in the line) talking to another of the gate lice, still showing off how much he knows about flying with this airline, and making sure that no one got past him and his rollaboard and large second item. I murmured to Mrs 1P that I was sure he was going to take a lot of the overhead space as soon as he got on.The plane was not ready to receive us, so we stood for a number of minutes as the jetbridge heated up in the Roman sunshine, but towards the end of the wait the air conditioning was turned on.
Boarding the flight: I was proved correct. As we boarded the aircraft, the very large person put his rollaboard and large second item in the overhead directly above our seats (1D and 1F), meaning that our more modest hand luggage had to go further back. There is in fact no storage space above 1A and 1C (he was in 1C) on this aircraft, unlike the aircraft we had had on the outbound, and I'm guessing that our friend is a frequent flyer on this route and already knew that beforehand.
On the plane: The crew of three female FAs was a total contrast to those on the outbound. The one serving the business cabin was totally charming and went out of her way to be helpful. One of the gate agents came onto the plane and pointed out our very large friend to the cabin crew, presumably to ensure that he was treated well.
No pre-departure beverage was served, but within a short time of take-off our FA was on her feet offering drinks and a savoury snack. Our very large friend was annoyed that she served us before him, and stumped off to the bathroom even though the seatbelt sign was still on (as on the outbound, it stayed on for far longer than seemed necessary). He then started in on the prosecco, of which he consumed a great many during the first part of the flight. We had a glass of very acceptable white wine.
Meal service was prompt, with drink refills, and once again we were served ahead of our friend. The main was a pleasant vegetarian lasagna, plus salad and dressing on the side, two excellent Roman rolls each with butter, and a chocolate brownie. After the meal and several more drinks, including the grappa and limoncello that were offered, our friend slumped in his seat and slept stertorously for the rest of the flight. The girl in 1A had a hard time trying to get in and out to use the bathroom.
Arrival: We landed ten minutes early in spite of a late departure and the usual Heathrow interminable stacking over Biggin Hill. There was no gate ready for us when we did finally land, so there was a 10-minute wait until we reached the gate. I stood up as soon as the seatbelt sign was turned off to put on my coat. Predictably, DYKWIA friend was right there, trying to get his bags out of the overhead above our seats, almost knocking me over in his haste. "Piano, piano!" I said to him, but he was not to be denied his ambition of being first off the plane as well as first on, and banged my shoulder as he tried to extract his rollaboard. I'm sure someone reading these lines must know who this guy is. I would say his heart attack is well overdue.
The passport egates worked well, and once again priority bags were first on the carousel.
The planes and uniforms are still largely Alitalia, but the experience was generally a happy one. Overall, the service is about the same as for business class on other European carriers, the seat is better than some, and I would certainly fly ITA again in preference to BA the next time I need to be in Rome.
Jul 11, 2022, 12:50 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: TRS & SFO, sometimes BRU & NYC
Programs: DL DM; AFKL FBE; ITA Exec
Posts: 212
There is no domestic business, but "superiore", for 'voli nazionali'. Have used this for TRS-FCO many times, as well as FCO-CTA, FCO-PMO return. You have seats like in Europe business (i.e. middle blocked) and a bit wider selection of beverages, including a bottle of water before departure but no meals, early boarding, priority bag handling (haven't yet checked a bag with the new AZ so cannot say how this works). As most national flights are rather short (perhaps the longest is 1h15m?), I've found it adequate and typically at the right price.
Jul 17, 2022, 8:13 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
There is no domestic business, but "superiore", for 'voli nazionali'. Have used this for TRS-FCO many times, as well as FCO-CTA, FCO-PMO return. You have seats like in Europe business (i.e. middle blocked) and a bit wider selection of beverages, including a bottle of water before departure but no meals, early boarding, priority bag handling (haven't yet checked a bag with the new AZ so cannot say how this works). As most national flights are rather short (perhaps the longest is 1h15m?), I've found it adequate and typically at the right price.