As an Ambassador of "Made in Italy," ITA Airways Unveiled Brand, Network, and Winter Season Highlights at Dubai Media Event

Dubai/Rome - ITA Airways has inaugurated its first route to the United Arab Emirates with a nonstop flight between Dubai and Rome Fiumicino. The Italian reference carrier will operate this route on daily basis.

The inaugural ITA Airways flight from Rome Fiumicino, AZ 856, serviced with Airbus A321neo, landed at Dubai International (DXB) at 7:50 p.m. (local time). The first ITA Airways flight from Dubai to Rome Fiumicino, AZ857, departed at 1:50 a.m. (local time) on Monday 28th of October.

To mark the occasion, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at DXB Arrivals, which was attended by Pierfrancesco Carino, Vice President International Sales ITA Airways, Benedetto Mencaroni Poiani, Regional Manager for Asia, Middle East, and Africa ITA Airways, Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy in UAE, and Robert Whitehouse, Vice President (VP) of Research at Dubai Airports.

As part of the launch activities in the UAE market, ITA Airways showcased its network, brand and winter season highlights to local media representatives and stakeholders during an event hosted by the Department of Economy and Tourism of Dubai at Grand Hyatt Dubai.  

The new Rome – Dubai flight is a milestone for the Company, expanding its network to include a strategic market. Dubai is a global hub for both business and leisure tourism, and the launch of this nonstop service demonstrates ITA Airways' commitment to offering optimal travel solutions while reinforcing the importance of network expansion in the Company’s growth strategy.

Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer of ITA Airways and CEO of Volare, said: "We are delighted to inaugurate our nonstop service between Dubai and Rome Fiumicino. As the first major addition to our winter schedule, this new daily route will enhance tourism and trade between Italy and the United Arab Emirates, a strategic market not only for point-to-point travel but also for connecting to other domestic, international, and intercontinental destinations via our Fiumicino hub, combining leisure and business travel. This new flight strengthens our presence in the Middle East, complementing our nonstop services to Riyadh and Jeddah, launched earlier this summer”.

Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy in the United Arab Emirates, stated: “I am pleased to welcome to Dubai the first flight of ITA Airways from Rome. The continuous growth of Italian nationals living in the UAE, the significant touristic flows in both ways and the expansion of Italian export to the prosperous Gulf market make this new connection between Rome and Dubai a timely and farsighted decision.”

Robert Whitehouse, VP of Research at Dubai Airports, said: "We’re excited to welcome ITA Airways to DXB, further expanding our network and strengthening connections between Dubai and Italy. This new launch not only opens Dubai to more visitors from Italy but also offers seamless onward travel through DXB’s extensive global network. We look forward to hosting guests eager to explore the vibrant destinations and the hundreds of cities we connect to worldwide."

Hoor Al Khaja, Senior Vice President, International Operations, Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented: “We warmly welcome ITA Airways’ route from Dubai to Rome which presents new exciting opportunities for further visitation growth from Italy, firmly among Dubai’s target markets.  In the first quarter of 2024 we saw a further rise in visitors, compared to the same period in 2023. We are optimistic that this new route will contribute to support Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism positive outlook for 2024 and beyond, as we continue successful promotion of our tourism offerings to keep the destination top of mind for Italian travelers”.

The new direct flight from Dubai to Rome Fiumicino will be operated as follows:

  • Dubai - Rome Fiumicino, operating from 28 October with departure at 1:50 a.m. (local time) and arrival in Rome at 6:00 a.m. (local time).
  • Rome Fiumicino – Dubai, operating from 27 October with departure at 10:40 a.m. (local time) and arrival in Dubai at 7:50 p.m. (local time).

This new route is serviced by the state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo, the first narrow-body aircraft in ITA Airways' fleet configured with three distinct classes: Business Class (12 seats), Premium Economy (12 seats), and Economy (141 seats, including 12 Comfort Economy seats). The A321neo is known for its fuel efficiency, consuming over 20% less fuel than previous models, and operates quietly. The aircraft also features ITA Airways' custom interior design, enhanced lighting, and spacious overhead bins, as well as the latest in-flight entertainment systems, with "on-demand" video and audio, 17.3'' (Business), 15.6'' (Premium Economy) and 13.3'' (Economy) low reflectivity and 4K resolution touchscreens for a simple, smooth and intuitive user experience. 

ITA Airways’ fleet consists entirely of Airbus aircraft, with 100 planes currently in service. Sixty of these are next-generation models, including 7 A321neo, 19 A320neo, 9 A220-300, 8 A220-100, 11 A330-900, and 6 A350-900 aircraft. Sustainability is at the heart of ITA Airways' vision, with the airline aiming for 90% of its fleet to be eco-friendly by the end of its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. These advanced aircraft consume 25% less fuel and produce lower CO₂ emissions, aligning with the airline's goal of becoming Europe’s greenest carrier.

As part of its ongoing network expansion, ITA Airways is flying to 53 destinations during the 2024/2025 Winter Season, including 15 domestic, 23 international, and 15 intercontinental routes.

Following the launch of the Dubai route, ITA Airways winter season will also introduce a new direct flight to Bangkok, marking the airline’s debut in Thailand, starting on November 16th with five weekly frequencies on the Airbus A330neo. Additionally, from December 20, 2024, ITA Airways will offer up to five weekly frequencies between Rome and Malé, the capital of the Maldives, operated by the Airbus A330-900.

ITA Airways started its operations on 15th October 2021 with a fleet of 52 aircraft. The company is committed to being an ambassador of "Made in Italy" by offering personalized services and delivering a distinctively Italian in-flight experience. This is achieved through partnerships with prominent Italian brands, such as Brunello Cucinelli, who designed the crew and ground staff uniforms, Walter De Silva, who crafted the interiors of ITA Airways’ new aircraft, and renowned Italian chefs, who create the onboard dining offerings.

All ITA Airways flights can be purchased on the ita-airways.com website, via ITA Airways Customer Center, travel agencies and airport ticket offices.

For press information: Pietro Caldaroni, Chief Communication & Institutional Relations Officer Mail: media@ita-airways.com

About ITA Airways

ITA Airways is a company totally owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance for the exercise of business in the air transport sector. ITA Airways aims at creating an efficient and innovative air carrier that will become a reference point in providing Italy with quality connectivity both in terms of international destinations, thus boosting tourism and foreign trade, and within the Country, also taking advantage of the train-air integrated mobility. ITA Airways will place the best customer service at the center of its strategy (through a strong digitization of processes that ensure a best-in-class experience and personalized services), combined with sustainability, in its environmental (new green and technologically advanced aircraft, use of sustainable fuels), social (equality and inclusion for a gender-neutral company) and governance (integration of sustainability into internal strategies and processes) aspects. ITA Airways is a member of SkyTeam alliance as of October 2021.