Alitalia Reviews

Hello everyone,

I want to share with you my TERRIBLE experience with Alitalia.

A long time ago, my parents came to visit me in Brussels from Sicily (flight BRUAZ 100088).
Once they landed, it turned out that one of their suitcases, containing clothes, typical products and medicine for my mother (who is diabetic) had been "lost" (my theory is another one, but let's leave it at that).

This was the start of an ordeal of phone calls and emails to the Alitalia Customer Service, both in Brussels and Rome. We received conflicting and incomplete news from staff who clearly did not know what they were talking about and kept telling us to wait (because, perhaps, the suitcase would magically be found).
In the meantime, my mother was out of medicine and clothes, with all the inconveniences this entailed. We were told to buy the necessary items and were assured that the expenses incurred would be reimbursed. In the meantime, we waited for the proposed deadline of 45 days, after which we were told to send a complete and detailed list of the contents of the suitcase and the expenses incurred. I sent the list, as requested, and, surprise, the Alitalia Customer Service completely disappeared and did not reply to any of the e-mails sent.
I will spare you the details of the countless calls (all of which went unanswered) and the content of the emails (TO WHICH I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE).
My parents have used Alitalia for years (despite numerous inefficiencies) and kept repeating that they wanted and 'had to' support the 'Italian national airline', despite other more reliable and cheaper companies.
At this point, rather than have them travel with Alitalia again (my parents come to Brussels very often), I prefer to pick them up by car if necessary!!!
Worst company on the market! SHAME ON YOU!!!

Ps: Obviously, I will write a terrible review (absolutely true) on any social media and platform available on the internet!!!

I tried to buy some flight tickets through the Alitalia app on the 26th April, however when I got to the payment bit, the app showed an "error" message and informed me that the payment couldn't be processed.
I tried completing the purchase again, but I got the same message, but then I was notified by my bank that a £335.92 payment was made (pending payment). Yet, I had received no tickets or confirmation email from Alitalia.

I looked for contact details for Alitalia, but could only find toll numbers options. I even tried calling a few, but my phone would show an "invalid number" message and end the call. Finally I found an email address and wrote an email right away. I have not received an answer to this day.

I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt, and also upon contacting the bank I was advised that payments can take a couple of days to be processed, I waited a few days for either a confirmation of a declinement of payment from Alitalia, however this did not happen and my payment still showed as "pending" on my app. I sent an email to a different email address, but to that too I got no reply.

Eventually, on the 2nd May, as my payment was still showing as pending and I had received no answer from Alitalia whatsoever, I topped up my phone and call the toll number, where my call was answered by a non-bothered, rude, unhelpful customer assistant who kept on interrupting me when I tried to explain what my situation was. He offered to process the payment for me, however informed me that the ticket price had changed so I'd have to pay the extra money. I tried to explain that the payment not being processed was an app fault from Alitalia's part and I don't think I should pay the new fare as it wasn't my responsibility, the customer service assistant told me off for not calling the toll number right away, and even when I explained that I used the email to get in touch with Alitalia, he said "well, we don't reply to emails right away, you should have called" and made it sound like it was my fault, the customer's, that Alitalia was not able to process my purchase.

I really don't think this is decent customer service. If the app is faulty, the customer should not be penalized for it. If something goes wrong with a purchase from the company side, then asking a customer to pay for their call to sort it out is simply ridiculous. Also, on the website there was no indication whatsoever that one should only call for urgent queries, nor that emails can take a few days (and apparently longer than 1 week) to be answered, so a customer should be entitled to contact whichever option they can afford, without being told off by customer service for which option they chose. The way the whole situation was handled gave me reason to believe that the whole mishap with the app was really a scam scheme from the company so that I'd call and pay the extra price. And ultimately, the attitude of customer service is just plain unreasonable, as it's essentially blaming the customer for what was Alitalia's fault.

It's pretty obvious that I will not use Alitalia in the future and I will never recommend it, and as I am very aware that Alitalia has already bankrupted once, I wonder whether the company is actually doing its best to keep the less and less customers it has.

@Alitalia can I ask how I can get the refund you promised me for covid cancellations when you have not actioned it, don’t answer emails and closed your call centres. This is fraud pure and simple and I advise no one to buy a ticket from these crooks

Don’t travel with ITA unless it really the last resort. They say they refund the flights and they don’t. Customer service is non existent. Low cost companies offer a much better service

Absolutely terrible airline and customer service, I am truly ashamed of it as an Italian myself. Never ever use it again.

They denied access to a flight claiming that a PCR test was needed which is simply an outright lie. When we pointed the error to then, they simply did not listen.

Possibly the worst airline I have ever dealt with.Was given a voucher for covid related issue.The voucher was due to run out and I telephoned to find out if I could extend voucher or get refund as we were still not travelling.Was told yes when it runs out ring up.I did this and was told by the rudest customer service adviser that your country is not at war.And we do not record calls so you can not prove this,even though I had her name and when I spoke to her.He also said it was a good will gesture and not covid related even though it stated that on voucher in Italian as I googled it.ROBBERS.Had £225 of my money will never travel with them again and going to get in touch with aviation authority.WORST AIRLINE EVER.

We paid in full on 25th December 2019 via Lastminute.com for filghts with Alitalia. Due to Covid Alitalia changed the flight schedules - that we understand. However, both Lastminute.com and Alitalia have both shown utter disregard for us as customers. Absolutely no interest in engaging in a meaningful explanation for the delay in refunding. It would seem that the strategy is to wear down those owed money with the objective to avoid refunding. Quite corrupt and dishonest.

Their new ITA company is a scam! Do not book a flight with them! I originally had a flight booked for 8/11 and they “rescheduled” it to 7/11. I asked for a refund as I am entitled too and they did not respond to emails or calls. I emailed 7 times, they either didn’t response or responded with talk to Alitalia (but the ticket was not booked with them and was purchased after the handover) or call our hotline. The hotline do not speak English despite being in the English line. They instead hang up. Please avoid at all costs!!

They allowed trip.com to issue ticket for flights after 15/10and now both this company is pushing the blame at the background with no sincere respond to refund.Very bad company,indeed does not deserve to exist anymore! They posted clearly they stop selling tickets after 15/10 but on 7/10 their agent trip.com still sell and now making refund so painful and unreasonable with each pointing fingers behind the scene and wasting consumer time.be careful of online apps like trip.com which may take advantage of this ceasing of operations of Alitalia to scam consumer

Our flight to Rome, planned on Saturday 9 oct, was canceled the night before at 22:30. There wasn’t another option to buy a new ticket again, very bad company, and no helpfull people

We all know Alitalia tickets price are higher than other companies. But what I'm wondering now is why, if it is not even worth it at all?

On my last trip, the aircraft seemed to be dirty and stinky despite the covid regulations. The air hostesses were extremely unkind (as they always have been, to be honest) and as if that weren't enough, the staff tried to stop me from flying. For some reason, at the gate, they didn't like my covid test result (ofc it was negative and done within 48 hrs).

I found my experience extremely ridiculous especially because I know exactly they are not always checking all the passengers for all the flights directed to Italy. Many friends of mine travelled from north to sud Italy and their swabs pre-departure were not checked at all!

Owe us 400 EUR from March 2020. Vouchers coluld not be used. They dont react to any emails, canceled they reimbursement email address, called 100x on their line, no answer. Scammers

The worst airline company ever beside Iberia. This company has a terrible customer service and punctuality. They never pick up the phone and return calls. Most of the crews are sensitive and touchy and they get offended easily. They promote decadent Italian glory back in the 70s and they lack professionalism. Now bankrupted they will resume with a new name ITA ( italia trasporto aereo) , same lame cheap laquerel coated company. I never ever take an Italian airline going elsewhere invluding Italy since they are the most expansive one and with a terrible cost of laquerel like the fluorescent cheap looking Italian furniture. Italians are good in bed, they are bad in business, stay away .

Really Really Really bad airlines if I can call the airlines or shall I say mafia running a couple of planes
Terrible customer service very rude I called them many times after ninety minutes waiting they answered and then hanged the phone down
I have £1600 worth of vouchers they are changing hands maybe just the name who knows and they said I can't use this vouchers after the 14 of October
I hate you alitalia I curse you I wish the bosses of alitalia burn in hell
Keep keep keep keep away tfooooooo

Dreadful. €1200 ticket business Nice to Malaga via Rome. No lounge. Strike that no Alitalia lounge in Rome airport! No priority lines, no food, no nothing. Topped off by Dictatorial yet inefficient security. What is the point? Worth going (well) out of your way to use BA or Lufthansa.