ITA Airways Finally Receives Its First A220-300 in Blue Livery

Up until now ITA Airways had received 4 Airbus A220-300, however they were all painted in white, not in the airlines’ distinctive electric blue livery. That all changed on August 28th 2023 when the Italian flag carrier received its first blue coated Airbus A220-300 (registered EI-HHM).

Why Were All Previous A220s Delivered White?

When ITA Airways launched in late 2021, it found itself in a tricky position. The airline had to cut out of its fleet the older less efficient and more expensive to maintain planes while covering all routes.

Planes ordered directly with Airbus, the manufacturer of choice, wouldn’t arrive for quite some time. Therefore the Italian airline accepted both planes that weren’t initially produced for it or leased planes. The hurry to get the planes flying as soon as possible, meant that in many cases there was no time to paint them in their blue livery.

This was the case for the first 4 Airbus A220-300s the Italian flag carrier received and 1 Airbus A350-900 (EI-IFD). Only later was the EI-IFD A350-900 painted in the electric blue airline livery.

Immagine da ITA Airways

The First Blue Airbus A220 With ITA Airways Specified Interiors

What makes this Airbus A220-300 unique, for the time being, is that not only does it dress the airline’s blue livery, but it is also fitted with ITA Airways specified interiors.

EI-HHM’s cabin was entirely designed by the Italian flag carrier under Walter De Silva’s specifications. The aircraft is capable of seating up to 149 passengers on a full load. Seats are manufactured by French firm Safran. Although all 149 seats are same, two classes of travel will be available. As is the case with many airlines in Europe, business class will be created by blocking the central seat on each row.

Each seat will also have its very own power outlet in the form of a USB socket. Lastly the plane is equipped with WiFi technology and mood lighting is also installed.

Immagine da ITA Airways

When Was EI-HHM Delivered?

The latest Airbus A220-300 to join the ITA Airways fleet arrived in Rome Fiumicino Airport on August 28th 2023. The delivery trip was quite a long one. The A220s are currently only produced in North America, in the two plants of Montreal Mirabel, Canada, and Mobile Alabama.

Therefore EI-HHM had to make its way across the Atlantic Ocean in order to join its new airline. Specifically it left on August 25th 2023 from Montreal Mirabel (YMX) arriving into London Stansted (STN) and then continuing onwards to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO).

The A220 was capable of making the crossing as it was on an empty load and it range almost reaches 6,400km (Montreal to London clocks in at approximately 6,200).