Just a friendly reminder that if you are still sitting on Alitalia MilleMiglia miles from last year, you have until March 31, 2018 to burn them. In some loyalty programs, your miles expire due to inactivity. In others, your account expires...
Air Italy: Qatar’s Plan to Destroy Alitalia
Air Italy wants to be the flag carrier of Italy, taking over beleaguered Alitalia’s long-held dominant position. Air Italy is actually already Italy’s #2 carrier, still flying under the Meridiana name. Last year Qatar Airways acquired a 49% stake...
Airline Smashes 300-Year-Old Musical Instrument, Blames Passenger
I am a bigger risk taker than most when it comes to checking valuable items, but I’d like to think I’d draw the line somewhere before checking a 300-year-old viola valued at $200,000. One woman didn’t…and Alitalia blamed her...
Lufthansa Wants to Make Rome Fiumicino a Hub
Despite another lifeline from the Italian government, Alitalia is still struggling…and Lufthansa wants to take over several Alitalia routes. Speaking at the Lufthansa Group’s 3rd Quarter Earnings Call, CEO Carsten Spohr stated Lufthansa would develop a hub at Rome Fiumicino...
Lasagna: Alitalia vs. United Airlines
I’ve compared afternoon tea on British Airways and United. This week’s Meal of the Week compares lasagna lunches on United and Alitalia. #1: Alitalia (Madrid to Rome / August 2017) You’ll note the lasagna noodles are green. Usually that...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 15, 2017
Good evening from Los Angeles. I’m about to embark upon another adventure…I’ll share the details tomorrow. In the meantime, let’s review the top stories of the last week. The diplomatic spat between Turkey and the USA currently means no...
Review: Alitalia 777 Business Class Rome to Los Angeles
With Alitalia operating in bankruptcy protection, I figured this might be my last shot to sample a longhaul flight on the carrier. Let’s hope not, though, because I actually had a very pleasant 13hr flight from Rome to Los...
Review: Alitalia Lounge Rome Airport
After spending a few minutes in the pre-security lounge, I cleared security and found the closest Alitalia lounge to my gate. I had read about Casa Alitalia, Aliatalia’s new premium lounge concept, but the Alitalia lounge closest to my...
Great Alitalia Lounge Concept in Rome (Review)
It was a simple lounge–warm natural light from the morning sun, plenty of seating, and lack of clutter. But most importantly: an Italian breakfast. And it did not even require passing thru a metal detector to reach. I’m talking...
Review: Alitalia A320 Business Class Madrid to Rome
This will be just a brief review, but I want to point out what service is like on shorthaul Alitalia flights in business class. I arrived quite early into Madrid and found the Alitalia check-in counter was closed. Unfortunately,...
Introduction: Los Angeles to Rome via Argentina and Spain on SkyTeam
It’s time for my next trip report, a short one that will detail my trip to Italy last month. Let’s just say I took the scenic route… An ambitious goal to be sure, but it is my desire to...
Magnifico! Alitalia Business Class from Rome to LA
I’ll admit, I had high expectations for Alitalia. I assumed good food and great coffee and figured the service might not be incredible, but would be fine. I’m happy to report that I had an excellent flight with not...
My Seatmate Goes Ballistic When I Touch His Amenity Kit
Hello all, live from 38,000 feet onboard my Alitalia flight from Rome to Los Angeles. Time for a confession: I made a mistake today. At least, I think I did… During boarding, FAs distributed amenity kits. Amenity kits are...
Miracle: Alitalia Award Space Opened to Los Angeles!
It may be my first and only trip on Alitalia, but I’m ecstatic it will be from Rome to Los Angeles instead of Rome to Mexico City. Who would have thought that Alitalia would open up an award seat...
Next Trip: Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Europa, and Alitalia!
Some trips I book months in advance, some trips I book the day before. This is one of those trips that I have been looking forward to for months. While it may not be reasonably possible to review every...
United Airlines’ Plan to Bankrupt Alitalia?
United Airlines will serve Rome year-around from its Newark hub. Might this be a plan to hasten Alitalia’s demise? Currently, United offers seasonal service to Rome from the following hubs: Chicago (ORD) Newark (EWR) Washington Dulles (IAD) While ORD and IAD...
Alitalia Files for Bankruptcy in NYC to Protect U.S. Routes
Here’s an astounding statistic: Alitalia serves more than 100 worldwide destinations but its five U.S. destinations account for 30% of all revenue. Even more startling, New York JFK alone accounts for 15% of overall revenue. So with JFK threatening to block Alitalia,...
An Alitalia Trip Before the Company Goes Bust?
Although I find it hard to imagine perennial loss leader Alitalia will ever go out of business, the carrier is in serious trouble. After workers rejected a plan to save the beleaguered Italian flag carrier, the government warned this time there...
Will US Airlines Now Boycott Alitalia?
The problem according to U.S. airlines is this– The nations of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are funneling billions of dollars in government subsidies to their state-owned airlines, distorting the international aviation market and undermining fair competition....
This Makes Me Want to Fly Alitalia
I don’t know about you, but I am a sucker for a good ad campaign and Alitalia has a tremendous one. Influenced by Etihad and trying to battle a fiercely competitive market, the carrier is selling style, and it...
