Inside ITA Airways’ New Three-Class A321neo

On November 10, ITA Airways took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo, leased from Air Lease Corporation, at the Airbus plant in Hamburg, reinforcing ITA Airways’ strategy to operate an all-Airbus fleet. The current fleet consists of over 80 Airbus aircraft, including new-generation aircraft like the A220, A320neo, A330neo, and A350. 

The A321neo occupies a sweet spot between a single-aisle and a long-range aircraft, offering a similar comfort level as widebody aircraft such as the A330neo or A350-900. The Airbus A321neo can operate on slightly longer routes than the A320, particularly in regions such as the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.

Business class seat on ITA’s A321neo (Photo: ITA Airways)

The A321neo is configured with three classes, featuring 12 lie-flat business class seats, 12 premium economy seats, and 141 economy seats, with 12 dedicated to Comfort Economy. The Italian Designer Walter de Silva designed the company’s A321neo interiors. 

Premium economy seating on ITA Airways’ first A321neo (Photo: ITA Airways)

Equipped with Airbus’ Airspace cabin design, XL overhead bins, and advanced in-flight entertainment, the A321neo offers an improved passenger experience, according to the airline. This aircraft, the largest in Airbus’ A320neo family, boasts exceptional range, performance, and environmental efficiency, with a 50% noise reduction and over 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous models. Over 5,500 A321neos have been ordered globally to date.

Economy seating on ITA’s A321neo (Photo: ITA Airways)

Following the ceremony, the A321neo, named after the 2000 Olympic champion Italian swimmer Massimiliano Rosolino, flew to Fiumicino airport for pre-flight tests and inspections. This aircraft is slated to enter revenue service on Dec. 4, 2023 from Rome to London Heathrow, according to Cirium Diio data.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

Vincenzo graduated in 2019 in Mechanical Engineering with an aeronautical curriculum, focusing his thesis on Human Factors in aircraft maintenance. In 2022 he pursued his master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Palermo, Italy. He combines his journalistic activities with his work as a Reliability Engineer at Zetalab.

Latest posts by Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo (see all)

• ITA Airways: 2023 Results and 2024 Goals - December 30, 2023
• Wizz Air’s Dynamic December: Milestones And Expansion Across Regions - December 25, 2023
• Qantas Takes Delivery of First A220 - December 16, 2023