ITA has launched new direct service between Chicago and Rome, with the inaugural flight departing Chicago at 15:00 on Sunday, April 7, 2024. The carrier has also announced a range of guest service improvements for summer 2024.
On Sunday (April 7, 2024), ITA Airways celebrated the launch of new nonstop service between Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) and Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). The inaugural flight departed Chicago at 15:00 on Sunday afternoon, following a ribbon cutting ceremony at the boarding gate attended by Emiliana Limosani, ITA Airways Chief Commercial Officer and CEO Volare, Thomas Botzios, Consul General of Italy in Chicago, and Amber Ritter, Managing Deputy Commissioner and Chief Commercial Officer for the Chicago Department of Aviation. The inaugural flight was operated with a new Airbus A330neo.
In Sunday’s announcement, ITA Airways’ Chief commercial Officer and CEO of Volare, Emiliana Limosani, said,
“We are proud to be here today and launch the new nonstop flight between Chicago and Rome. This new destination, the seventh in North America, further enriches the intercontinental network of ITA Airways and consolidates our expansion towards the United States, which is the first international market for our Company. The multiple services from Rome Fiumicino connecting to New York, Boston, Washington, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the newly opened Chicago enhance our efforts to be the reference carrier from the United States to Italy and via Rome to Europe and the Mediterranean for the Italian community, the international business communities in North America as well as the major communities in the Mediterranean region.”
Initially, the Chicago-Rome route will operate six times weekly, increasing to seven by June 2024. ITA Airways will also launch new direct service between Toronto and Rome starting May 10, 2024. The new Chicago route expands the ITA Airways network to 57 destinations, including 16 domestic, 26 international, and 15 intercontinental.
In a separate press release on Monday (April 8, 2024), ITA Airways announced a range of guest service enhancements for summer 2024. The carrier will offer ‘Comfort Economy’ seating on their Airbus A330-900 and A350-900 fleets, offering ‘Top Seats’ and ‘Front Seats’ for a more comfortable and expedited journey. The new seating option offers enhanced comfort with more legroom, as well as priority boarding and deplaning, as well as reserved overhead bin space. Customers will also have the option to select emergency row seats (known as Top Seats), for extra legroom, or ‘Front Seats’ located directly behind Business/Superior Class. Onboard Wi-Fi will also available by logging into the ITA Airways portal on all A350-900 and A330-900 long-haul aircraft.
This spring, ITA Airways will also debut a new onboard menu by Michelin-starred Chef, Giancarlo Morelli, offering guests the opportunity to indulge in flavors inspired by the excellence of Italian cuisine on all intercontinental flights departing Italy. With six restaurants and numerous haute-cuisine awards worldwide, Chef Morelli draws on his Lombard roots, showcasing seasonally sourced fresh ingredients. The menu is designed to take guests on a journey through the scents, flavors, and colors of Italian excellence, taste and style around the world.
Source: ITA Airways