For the following section of my fast journey to Paris and Cairo, I flew ITA Airways’ Airbus A320neo enterprise class on the quick 95-minute early morning flight from Paris (CDG) to Rome (FCO). I’m an enormous fan of ITA Airways, and have had unimaginable experiences on the provider’s lengthy haul plane, together with on the Airbus A350-900 and Airbus A330-900neo.
So I used to be curious to see what the quick haul product can be like. Effectively, I’ve to say, it was a blended bag. There have been issues I actually favored, just like the tremendous pleasant crew. Nevertheless, for a brand new jet, I used to be shocked by the shortage of Wi-Fi and energy shops, and likewise thought the meals may’ve been higher… particularly for an airline from Italy!
How I booked my ITA Airways enterprise class ticket
I booked a ticket on ITA Airways from Paris to Rome to Cairo in enterprise class, and paid with money. Particularly, I booked the next for $907.09 (after which I additionally paid an additional $107 to assign the entrance row enterprise class seat on the connecting flight):
11/10 AZ317 Paris to Rome departing 6:10AM arriving 8:10AM
11/10 AZ896 Rome to Cairo departing 12:40PM arriving 4:55PM
I really paid extra for this ticket than I needed to, as there was a much less versatile ticket that might’ve been $200 cheaper. The explanation I booked it is because there was an Amex Gives deal for 17,500 bonus Membership Rewards factors when spending $1,000 with the airline, and this ticket plus the seat task charge triggered that.
I credited this itinerary to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and it helped me qualify for Platinum standing (although ITA Airways is now leaving SkyTeam and becoming a member of Star Alliance).
ITA Airways enterprise class lounge & boarding
I had spent the evening on the Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, given my 6:10AM flight departure. My ITA Airways flight was departing from Terminal 2D, and I arrived there round 5AM. I had already checked in on-line, and safety was tremendous fast, and took simply 5 minutes.
Ordinarily, ITA Airways enterprise class passengers would get entry to the Extime Lounge. Nevertheless, sadly the lounge solely opens at 6AM, so it was of no use to me for this flight. So I headed straight to the gate — my flight was departing from D50, with boarding scheduled for five:30AM, 40 minutes earlier than departure.
Certain sufficient, boarding began proper on schedule. Italians give People a run for his or her cash in terms of crowding the gate space and turning boarding chaos right into a sport, although the gate brokers did a great job of imposing the boarding order.
ITA Airways A320neo enterprise class cabin & seats
On the door, I used to be greeted by the tremendous pleasant crew. It took my eyes a second to regulate, as a result of the temper lighting within the cabin was excessive (so my apologies for the images, as a result of the lighting made it laborious to {photograph}).
The plane I used to be flying was a lower than two-year-old Airbus A320neo with the license plate EI-INA. The airplane is configured with 180 seats, unfold throughout 30 rows, in a 3-3 configuration.
As is normal on intra-Europe flights, the scale of the enterprise class cabin be adjusted with every flight, just by transferring the curtain ahead or again. Enterprise class consists of economic system seats with blocked middles and extra service. On this flight, there have been a complete of 4 rows of enterprise class, and solely 4 passengers within the cabin.
Legroom was not nice, but in addition not the worst I’ve had. I’d estimate pitch was someplace round 30″. I assigned myself seat 4A, the window seat on the left facet within the final row of enterprise class.
The seats had been as primary as they arrive — the tray tables had been even a bit smaller than you’ll discover on different airways.
To my shock, there have been no energy ports. You’d suppose the airline can be putting in these on newly delivered jets, so I’m wondering what precisely occurred there? Does this have one thing to do with ITA Airways having partly picked up jets supposed for different airways, or…?
On the plus facet, I used to be pleased to see that the overhead consoles had particular person air nozzles, along with studying lights.
I additionally appreciated that the airplane had the brand new bigger Airbus overhead bins, so that each one baggage may simply be accommodated (then once more, that’s not as a lot of a problem in Europe as in america).
So yeah, intra-Europe enterprise class is never a lot to get enthusiastic about, however this felt particularly naked bones, provided that this was mainly a brand new jet.
ITA Airways A320neo enterprise class leisure & Wi-Fi
I used to be anticipating this ITA Airways A320neo to have Wi-Fi, but it surely wasn’t really accessible. Apparently, there was a “Cabin-Wifi” community, but it surely didn’t join, and the crew stated the airplane didn’t have Wi-Fi. There was no streaming leisure both.
Suffice it to say that the tech on this airplane wasn’t nice, between the shortage of energy ports and lack of Wi-Fi. In fact that’s not an enormous situation for such a brief flight, however nonetheless, it’s more and more an space the place airways are competing.
ITA Airways A320neo departure from Paris
As boarding wrapped up, the lead flight attendant got here round to supply pre-departure drinks, with the selection of water or orange juice. I selected the previous, which was promptly served, with a cup. As he served me (and others) a drink, he launched himself by identify, and stated “in the event you want something throughout the flight, I’m right here for you.” Very spectacular on each fronts! Private introductions and pre-departure drinks are uncommon on regional flights inside Europe.
At 6AM the primary cabin door closed, so it regarded like we had been prepared for an early departure. Nevertheless, a couple of minutes later, the captain was on the PA to announce a delay. He defined that as a result of climate, we’d have a departure delay, and will solely take off at 6:55AM. So he anticipated we’d be on the gate for one more 40 minutes, and we’d then begin taxiing.
The nice service then continued. A couple of minutes later, the lead flight attendant requested if he may get enterprise class passengers the rest to drink. I ordered an espresso, which was served with some tasty little chocolate wafer treats.
Actually, the kindness of the crew and basic friendliness exceeded my expectations. I’ve been on so many intra-Europe flights with prolonged floor delays the place the crew doesn’t provide any refreshments (and I understand they’re simply following insurance policies, so I’m not blaming the people).
There was an extra optimistic replace. At 6:25AM, the captain introduced that our slot was moved up a bit, and that we’d be pushing again shortly. A minute later we started our pushback, and at 6:30AM we started our taxi. From there, it was round 10 minutes to our departure runway, 8L, the place we had been cleared for takeoff at 6:40AM.
We had a clean climb out, and the seatbelt signal was turned off round 5 minutes after takeoff. At that time the crew closed the curtains, each between the galley and enterprise class, and between enterprise class and economic system.
ITA Airways enterprise class snack service
Round 10 minutes after takeoff, the lead flight attendant rolled a cart down the aisle with a snack service. The breakfast snack consisted of a facet of fruit (pear and pineapple), a plate with two kinds of carbs (a croissant and a ham sandwich), and a bottled yogurt smoothie to drink. On high of that, I had a espresso and a pear juice.
It’s not such as you’ll normally get some superb gourmand meal on flights inside Europe, however I discovered this to be a bit under common. Maybe that’s partly as a result of I don’t eat pork, however nonetheless, you’d hope for a bit higher for an airline from Italy.
This appears to be fairly constant. On lengthy haul flights, ITA Airways has among the many finest meals of any airline in enterprise class. It’s a special story on quick haul flights, although, the place I’ve heard quite a lot of complaints.
Actually, the perfect a part of the breakfast was the attractive dawn I used to be handled to whereas consuming…
ITA Airways A320neo enterprise class toilet
Towards the top of the flight, I checked out the bathroom on the entrance of the cabin, reserved for enterprise class. It was fairly no frills, however was a minimum of clear, and the crew did a great job of imposing the coverage of this toilet being reserved for enterprise class passengers.
ITA Airways enterprise class service
The service was actually what impressed me most about this ITA Airways flight (as I feel y’all can inform, primarily based on what I’ve written above). The lead flight attendant couldn’t have been extra skilled, and likewise had such an enormous persona. He engaged with every passenger, and he should’ve spent a great 10 minutes chatting to the folks within the entrance row, giving them ideas for his or her journey, and many others.
He was a category act. Frankly, I discover ITA Airways to persistently have above common crews, so that they’re an enormous asset to the airline.
ITA Airways A320neo arrival in Rome
A bit over an hour after takeoff, at 7:50AM, the captain was again on the PA to announce that we’d be touchdown in round 25 minutes. About 10 minutes later, the seatbelt signal was turned on.
The views when flying to and from Rome are superb, so I spent the remainder of the flight gazing out the window…
As anticipated, we touched down in Rome at 8:15AM.
From there, we had a excessive velocity however fast taxi to our arrival gate. It truly is superb how rapidly the ITA Airways fleet has grown, and I used to be shocked by the variety of planes on the bottom.
We ended up arriving at our gate at 8:20AM, pulling in subsequent to a Lufthansa Airbus A321. We had been solely 10 minutes delayed, regardless of our considerably delayed departure.
Once we obtained to the gate, I couldn’t assist however snap an image of the A320neo I simply flew on… ITA’s livery has grown on me a lot, and I actually do adore it!
Backside line
I had a nice early morning enterprise class flight on ITA Airways’ A320neo. I used to be underwhelmed by the cabin as such, and the shortage of energy ports and Wi-Fi. I additionally didn’t suppose the snack was nice.
However truthfully, what was most memorable to me in regards to the flight was the service, and particularly, the distinctive lead flight attendant. He was so variety and interesting with every passenger, even providing two units of pre-departure drinks. On the finish of the day, nice service could make up for an in any other case lackluster product, and that is a kind of conditions.
What do you make of ITA Airways’ A320neo enterprise class?
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