A330-900, A321neo and three-class A350: Skytrax promotes ITA, is Europe's 'most improved' airline

Patriotically speaking, a year ago it had seemed unfair to us. ITA Airways' exclusion from the ranking of the world's top 100 airlines compiled in June 2023 by Skytrax.

In the2024 edition of its Awards, the British rating agency, however, acknowledged the enormous progress made by the Italian flag carrier over the past 12 months, assigning her not only the 74th place 'overall' (which is perhaps still by 'short arm'), but especially by putting it at the Third among 'Most improved' companies worldwide and first at the European level.

Decisive, in this regard, were three factors: The introduction of the A330-900s into service. with their new Business Class and Premium Economy cabins (and the parallel 'retirement' of a growing number of Alitalia's legacy A330-200s).

The entry of the A321neo into the fleet. who have, perhaps, the best on-board product in the world for a single-aisle aircraft.

And the retrofit with which the company is proceeding to theinstallation of a premium economy cabin on its 6 Airbus A350-900s as well., thereby unifying the offering of service classes across its entire medium- and long-haul network.

In Skytrax's ranking of the 'World's Most improved Airlines, ITA Airways was preceded by Saudia and (surprisingly enough) by Egyptair And left behind the Canadian regional Porter Airlines and Air India, which Is introducing the new A350s and its new Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins on both long and short haul.

Closing out the top 10 are the two low-cost Allegiant Air e Norse Atlantic, the South African regional Lift, India's low-cost Akasa Air and the other South African regional Airlink. ITA's two awards at the Skytrax Awards (entry in the top 10 and 'Most improved airline in Europe') had been preceded a few days ago by the'award, again by Skytrax', of the fourth star to the Italian carrier.

• Skytrax