The ITA Airways Piazza della Scala lounge at Milan Linate offers a pleasant setting and a fairly decent service, especially when compared to what is served in-flight.

Coming from Paris and waiting for my flight to Catania, I have about two hours to kill at the ITA Airways lounge at Linate. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been there, my last visit to Milan being an eternity ago, and I only have vague memories of a connection on the way back from Catania with Olivier many years ago, when the airline was still called Alitalia.

At the bottom of the page you’ll find a summary of articles about this vacation in Sicily.

Lounge location

It’s located in what is the “central square” of this very modest airport. Never far from your boarding gate, and easy to find.

It’s on the second floor and, to my recollection, is only accessible by a staircase, without an elevator. It’s on the left at the top of the stairs, whereas I remember the old Alitalia lounge was on the right, which makes me think it’s a new lounge.

Eligibility

The lounge is accessible to ITA Airways passengers travelling in business class on a flight operated by ITA, to executive premium members of the ITA Airways frequent flyer program, to Skyteam business class passengers on a flight operated by ITA Airways, and to Skyteam Elite Plus members if they are connecting to an international flight.

Rules that will change in the future when ITA leaves Skyteam for Star Alliance and joins the Lufthansa Group.

Setting and desig

The lounge consists of a single large room overlooking the tarmac.

Its layout is rather “monolithic”, with no diversity in the type of seats or their arrangement.

It’s not too densely furnished, so it’s easy to get around, but it can be tricky to find a place during rush hour, especially if you’re looking for a little peace and quiet.

Olivier, to whom I sent the photos and who knew the old lounge well, tells me that this one looks much nicer and more pleasant.

The buffet is in the middle of the room, with a bar at the back.

Quite bright, not unpleasant at all. We’ve seen worse.

Catering

At the time of my arrival, the lunchtime hot offer was not yet in place.

Vegetables, fruit, salads and cold meats are available

The quality is good (especially the cold cuts) but it lacks variety.

Later on, the hot offer will be put in place: pizzas and soup.

As for beverages, water is available in fridges.

For the rest and hot drinks, please go to the bar, which I won’t do.

During the day, as long as I have sparkling water, I’m happy.

All in all, a very decent service, but I was expecting a little more. We’re more in the SAS spirit than in the Lufthansa spirit, and given the consistency that exists on this subject in the Lufthansa Group airlines, we can perhaps expect some improvements in the more or less distant future.

Facilities

The lounge has a toilet but no shower.

Atmosphere

Quite quiet when I arrived, then busier and noisier.

Bottom line

A more than decent lounge that does the job for a short wait.

The articles about this trip to Sicily

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