A seat that transforms into a bed, a meal created by a starred chef and the gift of not arriving crumpled at your destination
Flying business class is one of the best perks that can happen when traveling abroad. It’s one of those moments where no one in their right mind would be able to say that money (or miles) doesn’t bring happiness. A trip at the end of 2023 to Rome with Ita Airways, 100% state company that took the place of the old Alitalia, it was my debut on the left wing of anyone getting on the plane.
Ita Airways is not Alitalia with a new name, underlines Emiliana Limosani, commercial director of the new airline. “We are another company,” she adds. The passing of the baton took place in October 2021, when Ita took over the old routes of Alitalia, which was in debt in the last years of its activity. The new Italian airline is slowly renewing its fleet and aims to have at least 90% new planes by 2027. The trip I took from Galeão to Fiumicino, Rome, was on board a brand new Airbus A330-neo , considered up to 25% cheaper and less polluting than previous generation aircraft.
The 30 executive seats have direct aisle access. Mine was 2A, in the window, and the first sensation was of supreme joy for the beautiful farm I had in those eleven hours between Rio and Rome.
A perfect bed
The first thing you need to familiarize yourself with in business class is the seat remote control. In principle it is quite intuitive and from the drawings you can navigate between dozens of possible settings. I already wanted to get to the position that is the great fetish of those traveling in business or first class, that is, transforming the seat into a perfect bed, the so-called flatbed.
One click and the backrest of the legs began to rise vertically, another click and the seat moved forward, a third click and the backrest began to lower. The seat lowers until it is practically at aisle height. My feet, thanks to a perfect calculation, fit perfectly into the hole that occupies part of the front seat. But obviously this didn’t cause any inconvenience for my neighbor in seat 1A because there is a divider that is basically a wall of gentle curves separating the rows.
Even before takeoff the flight attendants came offering juice, sparkling wine and water. To avoid getting exhausted in the beginning, I opted for sparkling water. A space a few centimeters to my right served as a table, where I had a very comfortable cap, a dimmable lamp and, rolled up in a practical toiletry bag, a set of six courtesy tubes from the Italian brand QC Terme. In front of the armchair there was the television and, to the right, a hidden hook to hang the coat. A blanket and a pillow also made up my little kingdom kit.
Film and gastronomy
Entertainment on board featured films that were in cinemas and there was also a great selection of Italian productions, but none subtitled and films dubbed into Portuguese were rare. I randomly selected the excellent Past lives, which months later debuted here as Past lives and it became a phenomenon.
At meal time the menu strictly followed the Italian tradition with starter, first course, second course and dessert. After the seat belt lights go out, you can order whatever you want from the menu at any time during the flight. The service is very kind, with white tablecloth and plates, shiny cutlery, but at least on the way there the food was nothing exceptional.
On the journey from Rome to Sao Paulo things improved considerably with the menu created by Gian Pero Vivalda, chef of Ancient Royal Crown, a two Michelin star hotel in Cervere, an hour south of Turin. The menu, in fact, honors northern Italy and the most delicious dish of the flight was the ravioli filled with Mantua pumpkin with robiola cream. The selection of cheeses that closed the meal was also delicious, such as Trentingrana aged for 2 years, Pecorino di Pienza and Taleggio.
I believe that it is difficult to have a memorable meal on a plane, especially when the destination is Rome, a city where apparently simple dishes, but difficult to execute like a carbonara, reach the state of the art in addresses such as From Enzo, in Trastevere, or the At Veleroedetto, in Testaccio.
Used to / you left me
Having said that, I say that the great advantage of flying in business class or first class is that you don’t arrive at your destination exhausted after 11 hours of travel. I barely slept a wink, but I managed to read, stretch and arrived ready to go sightseeing. I might say this is priceless, but the truth is, it’s worth the price.
The return to Sao Paulo did not take place on board an Airbus A330-neo, but on an old plane that belonged to Alitalia. Even though the decades separating the two planes are visible aesthetically, business class is still quite comfortable. One thing is certain: from now on it will be more difficult to exchange a “bom dia”, “good morning”, “buenos dias” or “good morning” with the flight attendant and you will have to take the right lane.
SERVICE
In 2023 Ita Airways opened a fantastic VIP lounge in terminal 1 of Fiumicino airport, the Hangar room, intended for those boarding national and international flights within the Schengen area. The Italian design is striking in the armchairs, the modern bar counter and the lighting. The buffet serves excellent pizza and the cocktails are unique. Passengers flying between Italy and Brazil have access to the Spanish Steps Lounge, in terminal 3, which is more traditional. The two lounges are open from 6am to 11pm and non-business travelers can access them by paying €45.
Ita Airways operates 14 weekly flights between Rio de Janeiro and Rome and 28 weekly flights between Sao Paulo and Rome. From Guarulhos, the round-trip fare for March 2024 starts at R$3,935.31 in economy class and, in business class, at R$13,728.18. Search for tickets to Rome.
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Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
