Italian national flag carrier ITA Airways has just accepted the handover of its first Airbus A330-900 during a ceremony held in Toulouse.
The aircraft has been leased via Air Lease Corporation and will officially join the carrier’s long-haul fleet in June, to serve on intercontinental routes.
Joining ITA Airways all-Airbus fleet
The acquisition of the first A330neo comes as a further consolidation of the airline’s fleet strategy as an all Airbus operator.
The A330neo effectively becomes the latest-generation aircraft type from Airbus to join the ITA Airways’ fleet.
The airline currently operates all Airbus aircraft Families with a fleet of 68 Airbus aircraft (4 A220s, 50 A320 Family, 8 A330-200s and 6 A350-900s).
With the introduction of the latest generation eco-efficient A330neo, ITA Airways continues its fleet modernisation to meet its ambitious sustainability targets.
To further support this ambition the delivery flight will be powered by a 16% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The A330neo delivers unbeatable operating economics and boasts an award-winning Airspace cabin with more passenger space, a new lighting system, the latest in-flight entertainment systems and full connectivity throughout the cabin.
The ‘Gelindo Bordin’
ITA Airways’ new A330neo is to be named Gelindo Bordin, to commemorate the Italian Olympic marathon champion.
In terms of interior appointments, it will feature a three-class cabin layout designed by renowned designer Walter De Silva.
The cabin configuration includes 30 full lie-flat bed business class seats, 24 premium and 237 latest generation economy class seats of which, 36 are dedicated to comfort economy.
All seats will be equipped with on demand video and audio content as well as full WiFi connectivity and highly customisable mood lighting throughout the cabin.
About the A330neo
The A330neo is the new-generation version of the popular A330 widebody. Incorporating the latest-generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, new wings and a range of aerodynamic innovations, the aircraft offers a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
The A330-900 is capable of an operational range of 7,200 nm (13,334 km) non-stop.
At the end of April, the A330 Family had registered a total of over 1 775 firm orders of which 289 are A330neos from 25 customers. To date, 100 A330neos have been delivered globally.
Lufthansa Group confirmed 41% stake
The news of the Italian carrier’s latest fleet acquisition follows hotly after the confirmed finalisation of the Lufthansa Group’s acquisition of a 41% shareholding in ITA Airways.
The much-anticipated move by Lufthansa group was finally confirmed yesterday when Deutsche Lufthansa AG finalised an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze, MEF).
ITA Airways was founded in November 2020 and has approximately 4,000 employees today. Headquartered in Rome, the airline welcomes more than 10 million passengers per year and is running a modern fleet of 66 Airbus aircraft.
The hub in Rome is ideally situated to further diversify ITA’s network towards Africa and Latin America, offering its customers an improved connectivity to the Southern hemisphere. Currently, ITA serves 64 destinations: 21 domestic, 33 international and 10 intercontinental routes.
As part of Lufthansa Group, ITA will remain a standalone airline with its own management and a strong brand identity – in line with Lufthansa Group’s successful multi-hub, multi-brand and multi-AOC strategy.
At the same time, ITA can benefit from synergies of the Group, such as access to the partner network, central revenue management and the use of Lufthansa Group’s global sales and marketing channels.
