European airlines are known around the world for their "euro-business class" regional narrow-body aircraft.

These are business classes with standard economy class seats, with the middle seat always remaining unoccupied. In other words, on regional flights, European airlines are among the worst in the world when it comes to business class.

But then in 2024, Italy's national airline ITA Airways came up with a new business class concept on Airbus A321neoLR aircraft. And I knew I just had to try this!

Buying business class

While planning a business trip to Japan, I fulfilled a dream and flew First Class for the first time in my life. I found the cheapest return ticket to Tokyo from Cairo.

I wrote reviews of these flights as well:

• ✈️ Reviews of old First Class Lufthansa (FRA-HND)
• ✈️ Review of Allegris First Class Lufthansa (HND-MUC)
• ✈️ Business Class Egyptair (CAI-MUC) review
• ✈️ Reviews Business Class Lufthansa (MUC-CAI)

I'm based in Prague, so I needed to get home from Cairo and after many days of searching for the most interesting return options, a very good price on a one-way ITA Airways business class flight from Cairo to Rome caught my eye.

The flight cost just 250 eur, i.e. only about €50 more than economy class.

And when I noticed that a new Airbus A321LR with new business class was flying on the route, the decision was made.

• Cairo CAI - Rome FCO
• Flight time: 3 hours 5 minutes
• Seat: 5F
• Aircraft: Airbus A321neoLR, EI-HXA

Check-in at the airport

I check in at Cairo Airport, where ITA Airways has 5 dedicated check-in counters in Terminal 2.

Check-in opens approximately 3 hours before departure and there are 2 priority desks for business class passengers.

However, the passenger in front of me is dealing with passport issues, so I wait over 20 minutes to check in.

Along with my boarding pass, I get a piece of paper inviting me to the lounge.

Cairo lounge and boarding

ITA Airways uses the Ahlein lounge.

I would classify it as slightly below average in terms of space and food offerings.

Extremely below average are the showers, which I have to pay extra for 10 eur. The shower is small and very dirty - I had to endure that until Rome.

The flight was on time and boarding was very organized by group. Business class passengers boarded in 2nd group immediately after families with children and wheelchair users.

Cabin and seats - absolutely amazing

The first sight of the new business class took my breath away. This is a game-changer in Europe without exaggeration. A revolution in the sky.

Real business class seats reclining to bed position on a regional narrowbody aircraft. And what's more, with such a beautiful and elegant design, dominated by white and subtle dark blue trim.

The elegant atmosphere is accentuated by the blue night lighting, as our flight departs at 4:35am.

I am thrilled!

The seats are in what is known in the aviation community as a reverse herringbone - which is slightly angled with the head at the aisle and the feet at the window.

This layout is the only way to fit enough lie-flat seats in a narrow-body plane. The slight disadvantage is the slightly worse view out the window.

The seat itself has plenty of storage space and a lockable locker with a table and mirror.

The high-quality 17.3'' 4K monitor is touchscreen, but because it's quite far from the seat, it can be controlled with a touch-sensitive and not very responsive controller found in the panel to the right of the seat.

The range of movies and TV shows is rather average.

The seat is 57 cm (22.5') wide.

The seat controls are simple with touch buttons on the right side.

The seat has both USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as a universal outlet for charging electronics.

Bed and comfortable sleep

Right after breakfast, I unfold the seat into a bed at the touch of a button.

The bed measures 198 cm (78 inches), so even a tall person can sleep well. The usable width of about 54 cm is enough for me and I can fall asleep for about an hour.

I would sleep perfectly fine on this seat even on a longer flight.

In-flight refreshments and service

I am provided with a pillow, blanket and slippers at the seat. There is no mattress or bedding, but that is not standard on short flights on any airline.

On the locker table I have a bag of saltine crackers, bottled water, headphones and a very neat amenity-kit bag.

The amenity-kit itself isn't very lavish and contains only an eye mask, socks, toothpaste, earplugs and a toothbrush.

I can see the printed menu and wine list on the table. The menu corresponds to a very early morning flight departing at 4:35.

I'm the only passenger to have breakfast. Everyone else is asleep.

I don't expect anything from a short morning flight, but I'm still quite pleasantly surprised. The roasted potatoes and peas and egg omelette are absolutely delicious.

The sausage is worse, but overall it is a quality airline breakfast!

Conclusion and my rating

This is what business class should look like on all European regional airlines!

Or at least on those planes that are designed for routes longer than 3 hours. In that case, it would make sense to pay for a business class ticket even purely in and around Europe and not just on connecting long-haul flights.

Will it stay with just the fleet of Airbus A321neoLRs designed for longer routes around Europe? And most importantly - will other airlines join in?