ITA Airways has adopted a premium-heavy, three-class configuration for its new 165-seat Airbus A321neo narrowbodies — including a full-flat herringbone for business class and a proper recliner for premium economy — whilst tapping seatmakers Stelia and Safran Seats to help bring its vision to life.
The Italian flag carrier took delivery of the first of nine single-aisle A321neo twinjets on 10 November during a ceremony at Airbus’ Hamburg production facilities. The aircraft will be pressed into service on medium-haul routes, helping Rome-based ITA further develop its international network.
On lease from Air Lease Corporation, the new three-class A321neo features 12 full-flat, direct aisle access business class suites, based on Stelia’s Opera herringbone; plus 12 premium economy seats in a four-abreast layout; and 141 economy seats of which 12 are dedicated to ‘Comfort Economy’. You might call this a 3.5-class layout, given ITA’s extra legroom Comfort Economy option in coach.
ITA Airways’ passengers will be able to enjoy a proper wide recliner in premium economy aboard the A321neo. Image: ITA Airways
These design choices mean that ITA is part of a rare but distinguished group of operators that have eschewed a one- or two-class configuration on their single-aisle aircraft in favor of three classes.
Though longhaul, single-aisle premium economy seats largely disappeared from seat maps alongside the Boeing 757, SAS in late 2021 spearheaded their return, when it took delivery of its first A321LR with business, premium economy and economy class cabins.
American Airlines, meanwhile, famously offers first, business and economy class on its transcontinental A321T twinjets, including an extra-legroom Main Cabin Extra section in economy.
ITA Airways is offering 12 extra-legroom Comfort Economy seats on its A321neo. Image: ITA Airways
An ITA spokesperson confirms to Runway Girl Network that the airline selected Stelia’s Opera full-flat platform for business class on the A321neo.
The suite was originally designed expressly for single-aisle aircraft — indeed its angle makes the most of the narrowbody cabin geometry — but Stelia, the seating brand of Airbus Atlantic, lately has also made a play for the widebody market, and is enjoying early success with Air France.
Opera offers enviable outward facing privacy aboard the ITA Airways A321neo, even without a door. Image: ITA Airways
Already a major supplier to ITA across the carrier’s A220, A319ceo, A320ceo/neo and A330neo interiors, Safran Seats is providing its elegant Z600 chaise-style platform for the carrier’s A321neo premium economy cabin, and its Z400 seat for economy class inclusive of Comfort Economy.
Another Safran unit, Safran Passenger Innovations, is supplying its RAVE Ultra inflight entertainment system with 4K touchscreens, plus inflight connectivity, from nose to tail.
Safran’s RAVE seat-centric IFE is offered nose-to-tail, with 17.3″ screens in business, 15.6″ screens in premium economy and 13.3″ monitors in economy, the latter pictured here. Image: ITA Airways
Onboard Internet is powered by Viasat London’s Global Xpress Ka-band satcom service, says a SPI spokesperson, confirming that SPI’s Honeywell JetWave-based terminal is in play, whilst providing this photo for terminal reference.
The seating and IFE platforms are sound, but readers might wonder why ITA has been leaning so hard on beige for its cabins, including aboard its new A350 widebodies. Is there enough pop of colour in these interiors to really stand out?
That’s where the Airbus Airspace cabin is expected to kick into gear, offering a custom-to-ITA LED system that should allow the carrier to present different mood lighting scenarios that are reflective of its brand. The A321neo also features Airbus’ extra-large XL flip-up bins , which are becoming standard on the airframer’s narrowbodies.
ITA believes the design remit of its A321neo has been met, saying in a statement: “The cabin interiors, entirely designed by Walter de Silva, perfectly embody typical Italian elegance and style. In addition to fully capturing the brand’s stylistic features, they satisfy the need for ‘people centricity’ through a cabin perception expressing continuity between all classes.”
With seat space and comfort trumping interior design for most passengers, few can argue with ITA Airways’ boast that its premium-heavy, three-class A320neo embraces ‘people centricity’, even if it looks a little greige.
Given that ITA is leasing its A321neos from Air Lease Corporation, it is perhaps understandable that the carrier has opted for a more generic look — in contrast to its striking blue livery.
ITA Airways took delivery of its first A321neo with three cabin classes on 10 November in Hamburg. Image: ITA Airways
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