ITA Airways
EU CarrierAZ / ITY · IT
About ITA Airways
ITA Airways (Italia Trasporto Aereo) is the national airline of Italy, established in 2021 as the successor to Alitalia. Operating from its primary hub at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), with a secondary base at Milan Linate (LIN), ITA Airways serves more than 70 destinations across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. The airline carries approximately 15 million passengers per year and is a member of the SkyTeam alliance.
EC261 Legal Status - ITA Airways
ITA Airways is an EU-registered carrier based in Italy. EC Regulation 261/2004 applies to all ITA Airways-operated flights departing from any airport worldwide, and to all flights arriving into the EU operated by ITA Airways. Under Italian law, the limitation period is 2 years (one of the shortest in Europe). The responsible National Enforcement Body is ENAC (Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile). Note: ITA Airways is a separate legal entity from Alitalia - claims for former Alitalia flights cannot be directed to ITA.
€250 - €600
Compensation is fixed by flight distance. ITA Airways operates routes across all three EC261 distance bands.
- FCO → LIN Milan Linate (469 km): €250
- FCO → CDG Paris (1,098 km): €250
- FCO → ATH Athens (1,049 km): €250
- FCO → JFK New York (6,889 km): €600
The fleet comprises Airbus A320 family aircraft for short and medium-haul services, alongside Airbus A330 and A350 wide-body aircraft for intercontinental routes. ITA Airways has been gradually modernising the fleet inherited from Alitalia, introducing newer and more fuel-efficient aircraft. The airline is now majority-owned by Lufthansa Group following a 2024 acquisition.
As a relatively young airline operating from the legacy Alitalia infrastructure, ITA Airways faces operational challenges typical of a carrier in transition. Rome Fiumicino is a busy airport with periodic congestion issues, and the airline's network is still being optimised. Passengers may encounter disruptions related to the airline's ongoing fleet transition, scheduling adjustments, and the complexities of integrating into the Lufthansa Group structure.
Not every disruption qualifies for compensation. Understanding the most common causes can help you assess whether your delay was within the airline's control.
Common Causes
Why ITA Airways Flights Get Disrupted
- Fleet transition challenges - aircraft changes and scheduling adjustments as ITA modernises its inherited fleet
- Congestion at Rome Fiumicino during peak travel periods, particularly summer and holiday seasons
- Technical faults on both legacy and newer aircraft types during the fleet renewal period
- Italian ATC strikes - Italy experiences periodic air traffic controller industrial action
- Operational restructuring effects as ITA integrates into the Lufthansa Group
How to Claim Directly from ITA Airways
ITA Airways handles EC261 claims through an online complaint form. Before submitting, prepare your booking reference, boarding pass or e-ticket, and any communications from ITA Airways about the disruption. If you received a notification about the delay or cancellation via the ITA Airways app or email, save this as evidence.
DIY Process
How to Claim Directly from ITA Airways
-
1
Gather your booking reference, boarding pass, and any evidence of the disruption
-
2
Submit your claim via the ITA Airways complaint portal at complaint.ita-airways.com
-
3
Wait up to 30 days for ITA Airways to review and respond to your claim
-
4
If rejected, examine the stated reason - fleet transition and scheduling issues are not extraordinary circumstances
-
5
Escalate to ENAC (Italy) if ITA Airways refuses to pay or does not respond
-
6
Consider the Italian Giudice di Pace (small claims) for claims under €5,000 - act within the 2-year Italian limitation period
Submit your claim through the ITA Airways complaint portal. The form asks for your flight details, passenger information, and a description of the incident. ITA Airways typically responds within 30 days. The airline is still developing its claims handling processes as a relatively new carrier, and the quality of responses can be inconsistent. Be specific in your claim - reference EC261 explicitly and state the compensation amount you are entitled to based on your flight distance.
ITA Airways flight disrupted?
Check your eligibility and claim up to €600 in compensation.
Passenger
J. SMITH
Flight
BA 2761
LHR
London
BCN
Barcelona
STATUS
3H DELAYPassenger
M. JOHNSON
Flight
KL 1009
AMS
Amsterdam
FCO
Rome
STATUS
CANCELLEDIf ITA Airways rejects your claim or fails to respond within 30 days, escalate to ENAC (Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile), Italy's civil aviation authority. ENAC accepts complaints online and investigates EC261 compliance. Important: under Italian law, the limitation period for EC261 claims is only 2 years, so do not delay. Italian courts handle EC261 cases through the Giudice di Pace (Justice of the Peace) for claims under €5,000, which is a relatively straightforward process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to the most common questions about claiming EC261 compensation.
Can I claim from ITA Airways for a disrupted Alitalia flight?
No. ITA Airways is a separate legal entity from Alitalia. ITA did not assume Alitalia's liabilities when it acquired certain assets. If your disrupted flight was operated by Alitalia (before ITA took over), your claim was against Alitalia. Since Alitalia entered extraordinary administration, recovering compensation for Alitalia flights is extremely difficult and generally requires filing with the Alitalia administrators.
Italy has a 2-year limitation period - does this apply to all ITA flights?
The 2-year limitation period applies under Italian law. However, if your flight departed from another EU country, you may be able to bring your claim under the law of that country instead, which may have a longer limitation period (e.g., 5 years in France, 6 years in the UK). The applicable jurisdiction depends on where you file and the specific circumstances. If you are approaching the 2-year mark, act promptly to preserve your rights.
ITA Airways is now part of Lufthansa Group - does this affect my claim?
ITA Airways remains a separate legal entity despite Lufthansa Group's ownership stake. Your EC261 claim is against ITA Airways specifically, not Lufthansa. Claims must be submitted through ITA Airways' own claims process. The Lufthansa ownership may improve ITA's claims handling over time, but as of now the two carriers operate separate customer service and claims departments.
Contact for Claims
Online Claim Form
www.ita-airways.comTransport Regulatory Authority - ConciliaWeb
Autorità di Regolazione dei Trasporti (ART) - ConciliaWeb
ENAC - Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile
Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile (ENAC)
More airlines
Check Your Compensation
Enter your flight details to see if you qualify for up to €600 per person.