Hi all!

I am Italian and a frequent flyer not only on Alitalia but also on other airlines (in the last 60 days flew AZ/CO/BA/IB/AA/DL) - never posted a trip report but I will probably do it soon.

I am a bit surprised by Opushomes report; I don't think Alitalia is the best airline in the world but I found the report a little bit unfair, also because a few days before Opushomes I made almost the same trip, FCO-EWR, connecting to CO EWR-SEA where I was upgraded to First Class.

Terminal B at FCO handles all EU flights - including AZ and KL. AZ domestic flights actually leave from Terminal A, and every airlines extra-EU flights leave from Terminal C. Information about this is clearly posted and for those who are not familiar with FCO airport, the terminal B and C are actually in the same building, but physically separated by a wall in order to separate the 2 geographic entities ... we are not talking about LHR or JFK here!

I don't know what's the problem with the check-in to LHR, since you Opushomes were not flying there, but I took the early morning LHR flight last month (leaves at 0740) and there were 3 check-in desks open. The flight was full but I think I got checked in in 5 minutes (Y class)

From what I know check-in desks open for flights 2 hours in advance, so I am not surprised that at 0630 in the morning no desk was open for a 930 departure! Nobody will show up that early, unless you were rerouted from an earlier flight like in your case.

The check-in woman was incompetent, that actually happens a lot (not only with AZ), and you might have a point here (the only other point you might have is about the old male stewards staffing your flight ...).

I have never had problems passing the police controls that protect US carriers ticket desks - just say where you are going, after all those are young Italian guys working as moving targets in order to protect American citizens

Alitalia does not have ticket folders because its original tickets are built as folders themselves, but maybe you had an endorsed KL/NW ticket ... with its folder?

Again, never happened to me to be permitted to go through unmanned security control (and I fly at least once a month) maybe you were tired from the early wake-up and didn't notice it (by the way, what were you doing in the airport at 435 for a 640 departure???).

Ok, there was some confusion during boarding because a door was broken, so what? You then board the 767 and find out that you have 1 inch more of room in Y class than on NW - now isn't this good news??? Doesn't seem the case, and then you don't like the bulkhead seat you asked for! Well ...

Oh, did you leave on time? There is no comment on this, so I think the answer is positive but you couldn't criticize

What a disadventure with newspapers, although you don't say it but it looks like they also had english newspapers (never found Italian newspapers on Italy-bound flights on US carriers) and, from my experience (last with AA ) most carriers don't care about offering long-haul Y class passengers free newspapers (in your case, you got 2 of them)

I understand you were happy with drink service but moan about the lack of ice - well, in Italy we don't fill glasses with ice like you do in the US and actually I will tell you that I don't really like it when in the US (on the land and in the air) they give me more ice than drink, but I understand that people living somewhere else on this planet might have different habits

I generally find AZ food pretty of good quality, even though I admit they might have some problems with overcooking pasta. However, they definitely have the best Y-class pasta that I know of, and I am Italian so I know!

And I would like to stress that wine is free on all AZ flights, including EU flights, in all classes, and NOT because of DL codeshare (?????)

Maybe the toilet on your flight was stinking, but I have to say, that never happened to me.

The aisles were narrow? How can that be? AZ has 7 abreast in 767 Y class, just like CO - so if aisles are really narrower, that means that seats are wider! It's as simple as that!

Sorry you didn't like the Italian flick - you know, I feel the same about US movies, but at least AZ gave you one of each, while not the same happens on US carriers

As far as my FCO-EWR flight was concerned, it was equally on time, crew was alright, airplane clean, food and wine of fine quality, and over and above they didn't loose my luggage

Then you go on and compare a Y class trip on AZ with a First Class (domestic) trip on CO: well, I think it is not a fair comparison!

I flew (upgraded) EWR-SEA a couple of weeks ago as a continuation of my FCO-EWR flight. I should be happy because I was upgraded, but I can be picky, too: the aircraft was a new 738, but there was no personal entertainment ... for a 5h30m flight, all they showed was 1 (one) US movie which I refused to watch. Music was bad. The dinner was extremely well presented but the stewardess was a bit too informal for my (European) taste (almost rude I would say). I had lamb but it was swimming in some american sauce which I didn't like. What was bad was the seat - is this domestic first class in the US? Pitch was tight and recline non-existent, couldn't sleep at all even though it was past midnight for me

I also found your comments about Italians and Russians a bit offensive for both

Dctorres, I think you should just go for your flight on AZ and everything will be fine - you will have an average experience, nothing more, but not the horror story that Opushomes pretends to have experienced

Ciao!

Hi,

I've just returned from my first Alitalia transatlantic.

In a nutshell.....

1/ On-board service was great. Perhaps some of the most attentive FAs I've ever had the pleasure of flying with.

2/ Nothing lasts forever.... The idiots at reservation and at the ticket desk screwed up my seat assignment from MPX/ORD and ORD/MPX. I called in and specifically asked for 14G or, if I couldn't have it due to children flying that day, I wanted a aisle seat.
I had neither. I was stuck with two window seats in the middle section of the plane.
My flight from CDG/MPX was hardly better --- I was stuck in the last row next to the toilet!
I was also flying a full fare coach ticket.

I'm a petty kind of guy, so, despite the excellent, attentive service of the wait staff, I don't think I'll be flying them again, only because I'm not willing to deal with another 9 1/2 flight in a window seat, especially when I reserved an aisle.
** By the way, the planes were both full and I was told that there was nothing that could be done.

While I am actually half Italian and half Russian, I did, too, find the comment to be uncalled for and somewhat offensive.

For general information, trains in Russia have gone a LONG way since opushomes traveled there (I presume opushomes HAS traveled there, not just heard something in the 60 Minutes report on Emerging Markets), in fact the services now offered on Russian national trains are far superior to the good ol'American AMTRAK, and the bathrooms smell much better than an AMC theatre in Portland (I travel there a lot for business).

I do feel bad if Opushomes' trip really was that horrible, though. I find AZ transatlantic services to be average, by the way, I find Aeroflot transatlantic Y services to be average as well, but better than DL or NW Y TransAtlantic (that is the reason why I fly C on transoceanic now, Im tall, and can't stand 31-33" in coach for 8-9 hours)

In any event, I hope if Opushomes has a chance, maybe he will enjoy AZ or SU services in the future.

I do have a question, however. As I normally travel on KL within Europe or by train, I have a chance of taking AZ flights in C within Europe (one flight VIE-FCO route, one FCO-MXP). How is their service in C on ERJ-145 and on MD80 on these routes? Any reports/comments on that? Thank you, and Happy Travels



[This message has been edited by asnovici (edited 04-15-2003).]

"I presume opushomes HAS traveled there, not just heard something in the 60 Minutes report on Emerging Markets"

Yes, opushomes has traveled on a Russian train, overnight. To be fair, it was approximately 15 years ago and I assume that things have improved. Opushomes does, however, prefer to rent videos rather than stick to the floor in theaters, so I cannot comment upon restrooms in our local theaters.

Having done a RT to SIN in January on NW and one to FRA on BA this year, I stand by my statement that Alitalia is not near the top of my list in respect to a travel choice in coach. I would not willingly fly them again and certainly would not spend my money to do it. MrsOpus and I do not always agree, but we definitely agree on this point.

Just make sure you don't fly AZ's charter operation "Eurofly".

On the YYZ-MXP AC/AZ codeshare routes, they often sub AC or AZ metal for Eurofly metal. It's horrible. Pitch felt like 29", and the in-flight service was terrible.

On a different note, i've noticed on my 3 AZ transatlantic flights that flight attendants forbid the use of CD players (as is/was identified in the saftey card). Anyone know why?

I never even knew Alitalia flew to Papua New Guinea

(Milano Malpensa is MXP ... sorry, couldn't resist!)

Alitalia?

1. Great uniforms (do they all get to design their own?)

2. Great coffee

3. They serve limoncello

'nuff said!

I'm sorry, but 33" is an abysmal "business class" when taking a connecting flight from another business class online that had 55" pitch.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Passmethesickbag:
[B]Alitalia?

1. Great uniforms (do they all get to design their own?)

Alitalia's uniforms are all designed by Georgio Armani, they have a marketing arrangement, good for Alitalia!


As to 33" Business Class, I totally agree, it is abismal for Business Class when one connects from 60" WBC for instance, however, have you flown KL C on Intre European? Its just the same, only KL seats are fabric (AZ is leather), they have 2+3 configuration, and since June they are reconfiguring C Intra European to 3+3 (same as coach), when AZ is still 2+2 like US First Class. So...its all relative

[This message has been edited by asnovici (edited 04-19-2003).]

Armani? That was 1991, you don't think Alitalia would spend a whole decade without redesigning their uniforms ? According to their website:

"In 1998 Mondrian from the Nadini group got the job, beating several other contenders. The attendants love the current look: sober green and blue with a military feel."

And do they ever! The female FAs just look - uniform - in these, the male ones all appear to have accessoirized themselves with different exotic-looking caps and whatnot, strutting up and down the aisles like peacocks... Boarding an AZ flight is sheer entertainment!

As for European business class, Asnovici is absolutely right of course - when KLM's 2+3 configuration goes AZ will be the only airline in Europe (as far as I know) to offer you a better seat in C on a narrowbody. Still pathetic compared to F in the US, I know, but at least they're not trying to persuade you that a normal coach seat becomes more comfy just because they've blocked the middle seat...

The AZ A321s on the LHR-MXP route certainly don't have leather seats in C... maybe it's only the MD80s?

Agreed. I just flew that over Easter - no leather seats. Good legroom and pitch for economy though. Their ATR72 have leather seats though.

Other aspects of the flight, the less said the better. (They cancelled one of our flights and the only thing they did was to announce it was cancelled, before we beat them up...)

I think MD-80's fleet has both leather and cloth C class seats. The cloth ones are ugly ugly green colour, while the leather of something indeterminably dark-blue-green-black. I wonder how the seats are going to be on new E70.....Im sure they are following KL Fokker's footsteps and putting all Y seating in there argggggggggg

Hey, I don't mind the Alitalia green; it's almost the same colour as my old school blazer

So, does anyone know whats the service like on ERJ-145 or will be on ERJ-170 in Business on Alitalia? Do they serve a snack? What about champagne (and how nasty is it on the count of 1 to 3, 1 being nasty 3 being KLM's awful excuse for cyonide, Spanish-made Codorniu).