Alitalia unveils new brand

Italy’s national airline Alitalia introduced its new brand, new aircraft livery and interiors, and new visual identity in Rome on 4 June at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.

More than 1,500 Alitalia staff and guest of honour, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, saw product upgrades across all classes of service on its international wide-body fleet.

The A330-200 aircraft will operate its first flight from Rome to Abu Dhabi on 5 June and return back to Milan. The new livery Airbus A330 showcased today has been named Artemisia Gentileschi after a 17th century Italian artist.

“The new livery presented today marks a major milestone in the history of one of the most iconic Italian brands in the world,” said Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, chairman of Alitalia.

“Alitalia’s livery is universally associated with Italy but it was clear that it needed to evolve to bring Alitalia into the 21st century in a way that could meet demanding market expectations. What you see here today is reconnecting Alitalia with Italy, and promoting Italy in the world.”

After 46 years, the green band will disappear from the fuselage. At the core of the new livery is a larger tricolour ‘A’ tailfin and a more modern typeface and non-Italic style. The new fuselage is ivory coloured with a series of bands progressively leading towards the rear of the aircraft. The cabin décor of Alitalia’s fleet of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft has also been updated.

Leading Italian brands will be largely represented on board, starting from the new Poltrona Frau leather design on Business Class seats, Frette bedding, Richard Ginori tableware and Ferragamo amenity kits.

Wi-Fi connectivity will progressively be made available on all long-haul aircraft, together with revamped movie galleries and in-flight entertainment.

Silvano Cassano, Alitalia Chief Executive Officer, said: “Just as our new livery simplifies, clarifies and improves our Alitalia logo, so our new service concept simplifies, clarifies and improves our customer offer.

“We have developed this new concept with inspiration from the centres of excellence around the Etihad Partners network. The result is a service concept which incorporates global best practice but which does so with a uniquely ‘Alitalian’ flavour.”

James Hogan, vice chairman of Alitalia and president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, said: “We are well on the way to seeing the rebirth of this iconic airline, in a new era of commercial success. The steps taken by Alitalia’s senior management team over the last five months are to be applauded.”