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Airline guide

ITA Airways compensation

ITA Airways took over Alitalia's routes and its EU261 obligations for flights it operates. The rules are unchanged by the rebrand.

Quick answer

ITA Airways took over Alitalia's routes and its EU261 obligations for flights it operates. The rules are unchanged by the rebrand.

Airline
ITA Airways
Main hub
Rome Fiumicino
Potential compensation
€250–€600 per passenger
Route coverage
EU departures; EU-airline arrivals

Does ITA Airways have to pay?

ITA Airways flies from EU and EEA airports, so EC Regulation 261/2004 applies to those departures regardless of where the flight is going. Italian domestic and European sectors sit in the €250–400 bands, with Rome long-haul in the €600 band. Most of those routes fall in the €250 band, with longer ones reaching €400.

What usually decides the claim

  • Claims against the old Alitalia are handled separately through the insolvency process and rarely pay out.
  • Italy's ENAC is the enforcement body for departures from Italy.
  • Italian handling-agent strikes at an airport are usually treated as outside the airline's control.
  • Compensation applies to domestic Italian flights too.

How to send your claim

ITA handles claims through its online customer relations form. Submit in Italian or English and keep the case reference.

If they refuse

Airlines often reject a first claim with a one-line reference to extraordinary circumstances. Ask them to state the specific cause and the reasonable measures they took. If the answer is unconvincing or none arrives within 14 days, escalate to the national enforcement body in the country of departure — for Rome Fiumicino-based flights that is the regulator of that state — or to an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme.

Common questions

My old Alitalia flight was delayed. Can I claim from ITA?
Generally no. ITA is a separate company; legacy Alitalia claims go through the administration process.
How long do I have to claim?
It depends on the country whose courts would hear the case: three years in Germany, five in Spain, six in the UK and Ireland, two in some others. Older flights are often still claimable, so it is worth asking.
Does ITA Airways charge to process a claim?
No. Claiming under EU261 is free and the airline has to handle it, which is exactly why handing 25–35% to an agency is hard to justify.

Primary sources

Official guidance and legislation used to review this page.