ITA Airways launched thrice weekly, direct flights between Rome-Fiumicino and New Delhi over the weekend. The inaugural flight was celebrated by a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by senior management officials from both airlines. Passengers were also treated to celebrate the new direct service connecting the capitals of the two countries.
ITA Airways' Chief Commercial Officer and CEO Volare, Emiliana Limosani said: "With the opening of this new route for the transport of passengers and cargo between Italy and India, ITA Airways is further contributing to the cultural integration and development of the economic relationship between the two countries, which have developed a solid political and commercial collaboration in recent years, with the presence of more than 600 Italian companies in India and a bilateral interchange that in 2021 reached a record value of more than 10 billion euros.”
Ivan Bassato, Chief Aviation Officer of Aeroporti di Roma, said: “India, with over 230 thousand passengers carried during 2019, represents a market of primary importance for our airport's intercontinental connectivity and the opening of this route confirms the importance of Italy's main airport in ITA Airways' development strategy. At the same time, it confirms the levels of attractiveness reached by the Roman hub.”
The airline hopes promoting its New Delhi service will appeal to India, allowing passengers to continue to other destinations in its domestic network for business or leisure travel.
ITA plans to further expand services in Asia with new seasonal direct flights between Rome–Fiumicino, and Malè, Maldives, by April 2023.