ITA Airways presents at Milan’s International Tourism Exchange, BIT

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

For the second year in a row, ITA Airways is participating in the BIT, the International Tourism Exchange, which is being held in Milan from February 4th to 6th. Located in Hall 4, ITA Airways’ booth showcases the company’s brand and visual style, centered around an arch—a symbol deeply rooted in Italian cultural tradition. This arch, mirrored to resemble a porthole, invites visitors to embark on a journey, offering a fresh viewpoint on exploring the globe. The booth’s blue-dominated color scheme creates an inviting atmosphere, complemented by a bar that exemplifies the Italian flair for hospitality, an essential aspect of ITA Airways’ branding strategy.

The booth features several desks for consumer and business-to-business interactions, alongside a dedicated area for the Volare loyalty program. Here, visitors can learn about the program, sign up, and participate in a unique photo opportunity within an immersive booth. Launched two years ago, Volare has quickly grown to include over 1.7 million members and over 20 partners from the hotel, mobility, and finance industries, along with eight airline partners for point accrual. The latter half of 2023 saw the introduction of Co-branded American Express cards and an Executive Reserved section, offering exclusive perks to premier members.

As Volare approaches its second anniversary in March, it aims to reach 2 million members by the first half of 2024. The program plans to double its commercial and airline partners and enhance the Executive Reserved content. Additionally, 2024 will see the introduction of a children’s program for family accounts and continued exclusive, tailor-made offers for Executive members, including unique, auction-based events in Italy and abroad, providing unparalleled experiences for its top-tier members.

“In its second year at the Borsa Internazionale del Turismo, ITA Airways is proud to announce the excellent
business results achieved in 2023″, said Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer ITA Airways and
CEO Volare. “Our growth goes hand in hand with the recovery of tourism, which is approaching pre-pandemic
levels. In 2023, we carried 15 million passengers – nearly 50 percent more than in 2022 – and achieved a
Regularity Index of 99.7 percent, as well as an average load factor of 79 percent, 5 p.p. more compared to
the previous year. – added the CCO – Expectations are also very encouraging for 2024, when we are
expecting a significant growth compared to 2023. This will be achieved thanks to our network expansion,
registering a 43% increase in the long-haul offer, and the launch of new direct flights from Rome Fiumicino to
Chicago, Toronto, as also to Africa and Middle East. Finally, we will continue to invest in fleet renewal, which
will count 96 aircraft by 2024 with two-thirds of new generation”.

ITA Airways is highlighting its plans for the upcoming summer season at the BIT, where it will service 56 destinations, encompassing 16 domestic, 26 international, and 14 intercontinental routes. The airline will also introduce 10 seasonal destinations during the summer’s peak travel period to cater to the demand for popular Mediterranean spots in Greece, Spain, Croatia, and the Italian islands, featuring direct flights from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate to destinations like Rhodes, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, and others, as well as flights from Rome Fiumicino to Split and Kefalonia.

The airline has announced and opened bookings for new routes from its Rome Fiumicino hub, including flights to Chicago, Toronto, Riyad, Accra, Kuwait City, and Jeddah, with varying frequencies and operational start dates spanning from April to August 2024. Following the success of the Rome Fiumicino to Buenos Aires route in 2023, ITA Airways plans to increase flights to Argentina, contributing to a total of 30 weekly flights to South America, underlining the region’s importance to the airline.

For the summer of 2024, ITA Airways is set to enhance its capacity by 24% over the previous year, with notable increases across its intercontinental, international, and domestic routes. New intercontinental flights to Chicago and Toronto will be serviced by the Airbus A330neo and A330-200, supplementing ITA Airways’ extensive global network. Flights to Riyadh, Accra, Kuwait City, and Jeddah will utilize the Airbus A321neo. Additionally, the airline is resuming flights between Rome Fiumicino and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion with plans to adjust frequencies based on the geopolitical climate.

The reestablishment of the Rome-Tel Aviv connection benefits from collaboration with Italian and Israeli authorities, highlighting ITA Airways’ role in fostering commercial, social, and cultural links between Italy and Israel. The airline’s 2024 offerings will be showcased to trade partners during an Italy Sales roadshow, emphasizing its growing influence in the cargo sector, aiming for a 30% increase in freight for 2024, supported by its expanding intercontinental network and the addition of cargo-critical destinations.

ITA Airways commits to providing top-tier freight services, including specialized transport solutions and IATA CEIV Pharma certification for pharmaceuticals, ensuring high standards for flight times, service regularity, and cargo safety to and from Italy, catering to diverse logistical needs.

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