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Alitalia launches Casa Alitalia: the first two new flagship lounges at Fiumicino and Malpensa airports Italian hospitality and live cooking in the setting of a private Italian home

Rome, 30 May 2016 – Casa Alitalia flagship lounges open at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa. New passenger experience embodying a concept of Italian hospitality will be available, including signature moments like an exclusive live cooking service. The opening ceremonies took place in Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa airports in the presence of Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the Chairman of Alitalia, and Cramer Ball, the Italian Airline’s CEO. “With Casa Alitalia we will showcase Italian excellence and style in an elegant yet relaxed setting, where a warm welcome with attention to details will make our guests from all over the world feel as they were in a typical Italian home,” said the CEO Cramer Ball. “The opening of these new lounges is a further step in the re-launch plan of our ground and in-flight services. We aim to become the best airline in Europe, and to achieve this we must ensure excellent service for our passengers before, during and after their flights.”

Casa Alitalia is the next level of celebrating traditional Italian feeling and hospitality. The new concept was conceived and created by Alitalia staff and transformed into reality by the internationally famed Italian architect Marco Piva, whose major projects include the Bulgari Window Concept of the Bulgari’s international shops windows, the Feng Tai Financial Center in , Rome’s Domus Aventino residential complex, the Milan’s Excelsior Hotel Gallia and the Dubai Port project. Casa Alitalia has been designed to be more like an Italian home than a public space, and the interiors – the reception hall, relaxation and conversation areas, cooking and dining areas – have been designed to be as similar as possible to those of a beautiful Italian house. The experience begins at the entrance door of the lounge, inspired by the main door of an Italian palazzo, which separates the chaotic environment of the airport from the comfortable, elegant, homely atmosphere of Casa Alitalia. The catering service at Casa Alitalia reflects Italian culinary excellence and includes a live cooking area where, twice a day, a chef prepares a selection of pasta dishes and pizzas in front of the guests. Even vegetarian and gluten-free choices are available to travellers. In addition, there is a buffet and bar area where guests can try a selection of Italian wines or enjoy a typical aperitivo prepared by a professional bartender. Casa Italia’s services also include VIP rooms and rooms for private meetings, a library, a prayer area, bathrooms with showers and Wi-Fi connectivity. Casa Alitalia is not just a place to relax while waiting for a flight, but a showcase for the unique values of Italian excellence, thanks to partnerships with leading Italian brands, such as Poltrona Frau, for the furnishings and chairs; Cantine Ferrari, Alitalia’s official sparkling wine supplier; Lavazza, which has created exclusive coffee blends for the Italian airline; and Terme di Sirmione, whose wellness products are available for guests. The materials used in the lounges – from the marble to the lighting and the backdrops – embody Italian culture, territory and daily way of life. Casa Alitalia at Rome Fiumicino is located on the site of the previous “Giotto” lounge, in boarding area G of the airport – dedicated to long and medium-haul extra-Schengen flights – and covers an area of about 800 square metres, with over 115 seats for guests. At Milan Malpensa airport, Casa Alitalia has a new location in the Satellite Nord boarding area, and covers about 500 square metres, providing over 90 seats. Guests of Casa Alitalia at Malpensa will also be able to board the aircraft directly from the lounge by means of a dedicated air jetty. In line with the Alitalia lounge refurbishment plan started in October 2015, renovation and improvement work has already been completed at the airports of Venice, Catania, Milan Linate and at the former “Dolce Vita” lounge in Terminal 1 of Rome Fiumicino airport. Refurbishment of the lounge at Naples Capodichino airport, of the Young Lounge at Rome Fiumicino for unaccompanied minors, and New York's JFK lounge are all close to completion. The Italian company also plans to open two new lounges at Rome Fiumicino: one in “Molo B” in September 2016 and the other in the new “Molo F” in early 2017. Free access to Casa Alitalia and other lounges of the Company is reserved exclusively for Alitalia’s Freccia Alata Plus and Freccia Alata, and SkyTeam Elite Plus members, holders of long-haul and medium-haul Alitalia Business Class tickets and holders of Alitalia American Express Platinum cards flying with Alitalia. Passengers can also enjoy the services of Alitalia lounges by purchasing a single admission ticket for €30 on the web, through the Customer Center, in travel agencies or at airport ticket offices.

For media information: Alitalia Media T. +39.06-65638950 Email. [email protected]

About Alitalia Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana (alitalia.com) is ’s largest airline and commenced operations on January 1, 2015 after acquiring the operational activities of Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana, now named CAI. CAI has a 51% controlling stake in Alitalia and the remaining 49% of shares are owned by Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (Airline of the Year 2016 by the prestigious US-based aviation industry publication Air Transport World). As part of its 2016 summer schedule, Alitalia flies to 97 destinations, including 27 Italian and 70 international destinations, with more than 4,400 weekly flights. Alitalia boasts one of the most modern and efficient fleets in the world. It is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and is part of the Transatlantic Joint Venture alongside Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines. Alitalia also collaborates with the other Etihad Airways Partners - airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Etihad Airways, Etihad Regional operated by Darwin Airline, Jet Airways and NIKI – in order to offer customers more choice through improved networks and schedules and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.