What's the scoop on Alitalia?
 

I've seen some off-handed negative remarks about Alitalia in this forum and have heard negative things from friends, but I'm interested in more details if anyone has flown them. I'm going to Florence in September from New Jersey and so far they've had the best fares so I'm tempted, but don't want a flying nightmare. Thanks!

I fly Alitalia quite a bit (four times in the last five years). Haven't had any really bad experiences. The flights have left on time from Chicago and arrived on time as well. Service, food and amenities in business class have been excellent. The only complaint I have is that it took almost 45 minutes to get our luggage on arrival in Palermo. I'm not sure if that is Alitalia's fault or the baggage handler's in Palermo.

I've flown Alitalia many times during the past 20 years. I think their service has improved slightly. Also, out of New Jersey, when I flew Alitalia it was actually a Continental flight. My best fares from Newark to Florence have been on Air France (connect through Paris). They have been consistently lower than Alitalia whenever I check fares. On one Air France flight to Florence, I had a short, 45-minute connection in Paris. An Air France rep met my plane and escorted me, alone, by car to my next flight.

I will never fly them again. Once was enough. Sure, you talk to enough people and you'll hear good and bad about all airlines. This is just my experience. The service was non-existent; literally, once the food was served, we never saw them again. The bathrooms were a sty and their solution was to open bottles of cologne in them. They wouldn't let me on my connecting flight from Milan to Naples, yet my luggage made it without me. And our flight coming home was 2 hours delayed with no explanation. All of this on one trip! Compared to the 5 other European airlines I've flown, it was filthy and unpleasant enough that I'll fly any other carrier to get back to Italy.

We flew with them to Florence (having booked a fly-drive tour with them) and they over booked the flight by 30 people. Never again. They knew this in advance as there was a change in planes (proof on our 2 iteneraries) many people had to wait 2 days for the next flight. Maybe they have gotten better.

We flew Alitalia coach from Chicago to Milan, returning from Rome. Food going over was excellent, not so good reutrning. Service not great but they had snacks avialable throughout the flight if you walked to the back which was fine with me. It was a 767 and comfortable since we had window and aisle. At that time we saved $400 per person compared to United and therefore we had no complaints.

Strikes are a national sport.<BR>Plan accordingly!

I flew Alitalia several years ago from Perth, Australia, to Rome and would avoid flying them again. We were seated in an exit row by the galley. It was a no-smoking flight, but we could distinctly smell cigarette smoke throughout the flight. It was the crew smoking in the galley with the curtain closed. Amazing!

We flew Alitalia 2 yrs. ago - Chicago/Milan/Florence. It was a package deal which included the hotel. Had no complaints. Planes left and arrived on time - hotel location was good - we could walk to all the attractions. The only negative thing was that it took a long time when calling to talk to an agent. But everything worked out fine.

Can't stand them. I flew R/T from Venice to LAX w/them. Myself and my nine month old daughter. On the way over, everything was fine. She was in her carseat strapped into the seat. When I went to check in at LAX to come home, they told me it is against their policy to allow any babies to fly in a carseat, and I would have to check it and have her on my lap or strapped straight into the seat. She was learning how to walk at the time and was still too young to sit in a big seat like that for 12 hours! When I told the desk manager that I flew over with them and my daughter WAS in her carseat, she said that was &quot;impossible&quot;. I was &quot;mistaken&quot;. A huge arguement insued, and I ended up not getting on the flight and I flew home with Delta and had a great flight. Alitalia ignored my letters I sent after I got home. They have the WORST customer service I've ever encountered. I have gone back to the states only w/ Delta since.

I flew Alitalia to Italy in March 2001. I also read and heard many negative comments after I booked although many of those were out-dated. We had no problems, no flight delays, no smoking, and no nasty attendents. The food was awful, but that's to be expected. We always eat something before boarding the plane and bring snacks along. The attendents even gave my son a little kid activity goody bag on both flights.

I never had any problem with Alitalia.. The food alone was worth it..In the other hand DELTA is another story...I WILL NEVER FLY DELTA AGAIN..

I just recently came back from Italy. One out of the four flights I took was from Alitalia. I found the service to be horrible! The attendents were very rude and impatient. I would not use Alitalia if I don't have to. However, if you're the type who sleeps throughtout the entire flight, there shouldn't be any problems.

Flew Alitalia coach Feb 2003 from Newark to Rome. The service was fine - I drink lots of water during a flight and they were very accommodating. Food was OK, and they were generous with the wine. Flights both ways were on time - no problems with luggage. Enjoy!

I've booked an e-ticket with Alitalia for when we arrive in Rome, to go return to Venice. Has anyone had any experience with the Italian e-tickets? I'm hoping it's as easy as at home. Should I e-mail to check on cancellations etc?

I say fly with the cheepest fair...if you have a choice, pick one that you like, otherwise just count your extra money when you arrive. That said, Alitalia is not my first choice either. I have only used them once, but if I were to get a great airfair, I would use them again. We flew sfo...milan...palermo last year one month after 911. They changed my flights 3 times, including discontinuing service out of San Francisco. On the flight from Milan to Palermo the flight attendants stood talking to the pilots with the cockpit door open the whole time...when all of us americans were glaring at them, they closed the curtain so we couldn't see the door open...I think the food was awful,there was no service to speak of, but it was the best price at the time.<BR>

Just bring your own toilet paper and you'll be fine flying Alitalia.

I used Alitalia in October 2001. I liked it because it kind of got me in the mood for my trip to Italy - Italian staff, food, etc. My only real complaint was that the films (which I use to keep myself preoccupied) were difficult to see and the selection was not great. I wouldn't rave about the airline but I'd use them again.

Unless you are counting your frequent flier miles, and are therefore beholden to one or more carriers, I would choose the airline with the best price and the best schedules. Nowadays, coach class with ANY carrier is pretty bad. Delta code shares with Alitalia, so you can fly Delta (or Alitalia) transatlantic and connect in Rome or Milan to a domestic Alitalia flight on a Delta codeshare.

I had a good experience with Alitalia this past Monday. In coach, each seat had their own tv in the back of the seat in front of you. You had about 10 movies to choose from, as well as games, tv shows, shopping... It kept me entertained almost the entire flight! The food was the usual, but plentiful. Loved the free wine.

The individual TV screens are on Alitalia's new 777 service between Rome and Milan and New York JFK.

Good to know about the new 777's. Delta is rerouting us through Alitalia from JFK to Rome, and I asked her about individual tv's and she said they didn't have them. I hope they do. I have two children flying with me.

&quot;her&quot; referred to the delta customer service representative over the phone.

Alitalia 767s do NOT have individual TV screens. The Alitalia 777s, which were introduced on the JFK-FCO route several weeks ago, do have the screens. If this is a factor for you, I would confirm with the reservation agent that you will be travelling on a 777.

I also traveled the JFK-FCO route and had the pleasure of using the individual TV screens. I was very surprised by this development--I remember 10 or 15 years ago when the movies on Alitalia flights were often aged made-in-USA TV movies.<BR><BR>If you have kids, this system would be great. There were perhaps a dozen movies from which to choose--new, classic, kid-oriented--as well as games for both kids and adults.

Alitalia's about the same as everybody else, frankly. I flew domestic Alitalia earlier this week and was impressed with the cleanliness of the plane and eager-to-help attitudes of the staff, both on the ground and during the flight. I speak Italian, so that does make it easier for me (because I'm obviously not Italian so they think it's quite cool that I do speak), but nobody else seemed to be having problems either. <BR><BR>No smoking on any of the internal Alitalia flights I've taken. I've not flown Alitalia equipment transatlantic.<BR><BR>My experience with the ticket office in New York has been pretty crappy on several occasions. My most recent booking involved repeated calls to correct a supposedly erroneous credit card number (which wasn't an error at all, as we finally established, but subsequent keyboarding issues there at that office), and failure to issue the actual flight coupon for one member of my party. Having discovered the error (do look at your tickets carefully) I contacted the New York office, where the agent assured me that I was either an idiot or insane or both and that there was no problem whatsoever and blah blah blah (for a good twenty minutes). Of course the agent at the airport wanted to know what I'd done with the flight coupon. I explained that I'd noted the error and attempted to correct it at some length and finally given up. The airport agent was helpful and friendly (and appropriately indignant at the poor service I'd received from New York) and everything was resolved.