ITA Airways has taken delivery of their first Airbus A350 on lease from ALAFCO, becoming the first airline in Italy to operate the aircraft type. The aircraft landed at Rome Fiumicino International Airport on Wednesday evening, May 11, 2022.
On Thursday (May 12, 2022), Airbus announced that ITA Airways has taken delivery of their first Airbus A350, becoming the first Italian carrier to operate the aircraft type, and the 40th operator of the A350 worldwide. The aircraft, which is on lease from ALAFCO, arrived at Rome Fiumicino Airport on Wednesday evening, May 11, 2022. ITA’s new A350 is configured in a two-class layout with 33 full lie-flat bed Business Class seats and 301 Economy Class seats for a total passenger capacity of 334. The aircraft will commence revenue passenger operations in early June 2022 and will be deployed on intercontinental routes from Rome Fiumicino to Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.
In December 2021, ITA firmed up an order for seven Airbus A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos. Additionally, the carrier has already leased over 50 new generation Airbus aircraft, including six A350s. A clean-sheet design, the Airbus A350 features state-of-the-art aerodynamics, fuselage and wings constructed of advanced materials and the most fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The combination of these technologies translates into an unrivalled level of operational efficiency and sustainability, delivering a 25 percent reduction in fuel-burn and CO2 emissions versus previous generation aircraft.
Kuwait-based aircraft lessor ALAFCO’s portfolio includes 77 aircraft leased to 23 airlines across 17 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. The company’s remaining orderbook includes 68 new technology aircraft with scheduled deliveries between 2022 and 2028.
Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways) was founded in November 2020 and is the new Italian national carrier wholly-owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. Commencing operations in October 2021, the SkyTeam alliance member airline is committed to providing superior customer service through strong digitization processes that ensure a personalized, best-in-class guest experience. The company is committed to environmental sustainability through the operation of advanced fuel-efficient aircraft, the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and other developing technologies such as the development of urban air mobility through eVTOLs. ITA Airways recently purchased seven Airbus A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos, and the Airbus A350 will also join the company’s fleet during summer 2022.
Source(s): Airbus, ITA Airways
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