Flying Back to Italy Feels Italian Again -ITA Airways and Rome Fiumicino’s Quiet Transformation

By Piero Lorenzo

For several years, flying to and from Italy felt more like an endurance test than the natural beginning or end of a journey. Prices were high, service was inconsistent, waiting times were long, and the overall experience was unnecessarily stressful, especially when traveling with family.​ This was true in the final stretch of Alitalia, which ceased operations on October 14, 2021, and also during the early phase of ITA Airways, which took over the following day. Those years were marked by unpredictability and fatigue rather than comfort or confidence.​ 
Because of that, I often chose to return to Italy with other airlines, most frequently Air France, which for a long time offered a reliable, high-quality experience. This choice was also driven by the fact that, from California, direct flights to Italy were often limited or simply unavailable, making connections through other European hubs the more practical option. Interestingly, over the past couple of years, that balance has shifted.

A noticeable change in the air
In the last 12 to 24 months, something has clearly improved. Flying with ITA Airways has become genuinely pleasant. Fares are now aligned with other major European carriers, service is more consistent, and operations feel organized and predictable.​This improvement is not accidental. Behind the scenes, ITA Airways has undergone a significant shift in management and organization. While the airline remains majority-owned by the Italian state, the entry of Lufthansa Group as a strategic partner has brought a more structured, industrial approach to operations and planning.
The result is a better balance between efficiency and identity: clearer processes, more reliability, and fewer surprises, without losing the distinctly Italian way of interacting with passengers. This combination helps explain why the experience today feels noticeably calmer, more predictable, and ultimately more pleasant. 
Even onboard food, historically a weak point not only for Italian airlines but for many carriers, has improved to the point of being enjoyable. It may sound like a detail, but frequent travelers know it matters. At the same time, some airlines once considered benchmarks, Air France included, seem, at least in my experience, to have lost part of the consistency they were known for just a few years ago.

Rome Fiumicino: from chaos to excellence
The transformation is even more evident on the ground. Rome Fiumicino today works.​ Check-in is efficient. Security and immigration move quickly and smoothly. Families are clearly prioritized, with dedicated lanes and staff who pay attention rather than simply following a script.​ Then there are the small but telling details. Clean, modern restrooms that feel closer to a five-star hotel than a transit hub. Anyone who travels often knows how rare that is, and how much it affects the overall experience. Fiumicino now feels efficient without being rigid, organized without being cold.

The Italian difference: efficiency with humanity
Beyond systems and infrastructure, what really stands out is the people.​ Both ITA Airways staff and airport personnel bring back a distinctly Italian, and very Roman, quality: the ability to keep things human. A joke at the gate, a smile during boarding, a relaxed comment instead of unnecessary tension.​ This human element changes everything. The stress level drops, not only because processes work, but because people do. Efficiency matters, but efficiency combined with humanity is what truly makes travel easier.

A parallel with real estate and cross-border life
I see a strong parallel with my own work in international real estate.​ Buying property in Italy is never just a transaction. It is a cross-border process involving different legal systems, timelines, expectations, and cultures. When handled poorly, it becomes overwhelming. When handled with structure, clarity, and a human approach, it becomes manageable and sometimes even enjoyable.​ Just as a well-run airport does not need aggression to be effective, a real estate transaction does not need pressure to move forward. What it needs is organization, transparency, and someone who understands both sides of the journey.

A welcome sign of change
Italy does not need to become something else to work better. It simply needs to function well while remaining itself.​ ITA Airways and Rome Fiumicino show that this balance is possible. The improvement over the last couple of years is real, tangible, and especially noticeable for families and long-haul travelers.​ When travel starts and ends this way, it sets the tone for everything that follows. And that, whether in aviation or in real estate, makes all the difference.