Airways Magazine September 2023 | Page 41

AIRLINE REVIEW ITA Airways
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“ We are conscious that the products we offer on the two variants of the A330 are very different , as in points of comfort and amenities , and our priority is to harmonize the onboard experience we offer to our passengers ,” ITA Airways Chief Technology Officer Francesco Presicce told Airways in Toulouse , on the day of the first A330-900 delivery . “ But we have to be aware of the market ’ s evolution , avoiding canceling flights or destinations because we do not have enough machines to stay on par with demand .”
A former Italian Air Force Lieutenant General , Presicce is the man in charge of putting every new aircraft type into service in ITA ’ s fleet . So far , he has been extremely busy . In October 2021 , the Italian carrier inherited some 60 airplanes , including eight A330-200s and around 50 A320ceos and A319ceos , from its predecessor Alitalia . Following the very first months of operations , in Spring 2022 , the fledgling airline scrambled to grow and renovate the fleet to regain market positions globally and improve service for passengers . The first new type to arrive , in May 2022 , was the Airbus A350-900 : ITA Airways took advantage of the collapse of Cathay Dragon to get the six aircraft that Airbus had already built for the Hong Kong-based operator and put them on revenue service over the span of a few months .
In October 2022 , the airline received the first of 26 Airbus A220s ( 12 of the -100 series and 14 of the larger -300 series ). As of the end of June , only four ( all of the -300 series ) were in the fleet , as Airbus has struggled to stay on par with the type ’ s delivery deadlines . Along with 14 Airbus A320neos and nine A321neos , the A220s are meant to partly replace the A320ceos and A319ceos inherited from Alitalia ,.
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5 ITA has Collins Aerospace Super Diamond reverse herringbone seats on its A350s , which are a common industry standard . // SIMONE CHELLINI
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