ITA Airways commences direct flight between New Delhi – Rome Fiumicino

“Connectivity between Italy and India will enhance relations. We’ve increasing exports and imports between the two countries. Direct flight (between Italy and Delhi) will boost movement and relations between the two countries”,

between the two countries, Luca said to the news agency ANI and also talking about boosting the relationship between both the countries.

Italy’s flag carrier ITA Airways, launched direct flights between its hub in Rome-Fiumicino and New Delhi over the weekend. The airline commenced the new service on December 3.

ITA Airways tweeted, “The first Rome Fiumicino – New Delhi flight, operated with Airbus A330, departed today. This new intercontinental connection joins the seven already operated: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Tokyo.”

“ITA Airways flies to New Delhi, and with #YogaInTheAir takes you there in harmony of mind and body. Practice together with @MichelaCoppa and get ready for a journey that will change your life,” ITA Airways added in a tweet.

The airline commenced the new service with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the carrier’s executives and other officials.

ITA will use its hub for its specific strategy to expand its network in Asia and bring more Indian passengers to Italy. The airline hopes promoting its New Delhi service will appeal to India, allowing passengers to continue to other destinations in its domestic network for business or leisure travel.

Meanwhile, ITA Airways will next year refresh its fleet with 39 new aircraft, allowing it to serve more long-distance destinations, the state-owned successor to Alitalia said.

Long-distance flights are more profitable than short and medium haul ones, where ITA and Alitalia ceded market share to low-cost rivals such as Ryanair and EasyJet. According to news agency Reuters, by the end of 2023, ITA said it will have 96 planes, half of which will be new, including the single-aisle A321Neo. With the expanded fleet, the airline plans to open new routes from Rome to San Francisco, Washington, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuwait City.

ITA was established in late 2020 from the ashes of bankrupt Alitalia, and has yet to turn a profit.

*With inputs from agencies