Italy’s new national flag carrier, ITA Airways, has finally retired the old Alitalia flight attendant uniform more than a year after the defunct airline was shut down.
Alitalia was shuttered in October 2021, but its planes and staff continued to fly after its assets were simply transferred over to (what was then, at least) the debt-free ITA AIrways.
Designed by the luxury Italian brand Brunello Cucinelli, the uniform was unveiled last May, but in a bid to avoid wasting money, the airline decided to go for a gradual rollout, replacing older uniform items only as they were worn out.
Finally, ITA Airways has now confirmed that the rollout is complete, and the Alitalia brand is one step closer to disappearing.
The ultra-luxe brand, which is beloved by celebrity A-listers and billionaires, normally sells clothes at eye-watering prices, but ITA Airways says Cucinelli offered his creativity free of charge for the uniform project as a favour to his country.
The uniform, which is meant to “highlight the incomparable elegance of the Cucinelli style” is now being worn by around 1,448 cabin crew and 118 ground staff.
The announcement came on the same day that ITA Airways unveiled a new A320neo aircraft painted in the airline’s distinctive blue livery –
The announcement came on the same day that ITA Airways unveiled a new A320neo aircraft painted in the airline’s distinctive blue livery – a nod to Royal House of Savoy and the colours worn by Italy’s sports teams when they travel abroad.
This is the first time that an ITA Airways short-haul aircraft has been kitted out with Wi-Fi, including streaming inflight entertainment. At a press event on Wednesday, the airline also revealed its new lounge concept called the Hangar at Rome-Fiumicino Airport.
Despite all of the latest announcements, ITA Airways could soon be sold off to the Lufthansa group after the German airline beat out other bidders to enter exclusive talks with the Italian government.
