Review: ITA Airways Business Lounge Milan Linate Airport
This review covers my visit to the Piazza della Scala Lounge, the ITA Airways business lounge at Milan Linate Airport (LIN).
Milan Linate Airport
During a recent work trip to Milan, I had the opportunity to visit the ITA Airways business lounge at Milan Linate Airport.
It was my first time flying out of Milan Linate Airport, which is the third largest in the greater Milan area by passenger numbers after Milan Malpensa and Bergamo.
However, Milan Linate is considered to be the most premium of the three Milan airports, as its only 7 kilometres from downtown Milan, while Malpensa and Bergamo are 49 and 51 kilometres away respectively.
Much like London City Airport, the central location of Milan Linate obviously attracts a much larger share of business travellers compared to Bergamo Airport, which is primarily used by low-cost airlines.
Indeed, Milan and the wider region of Lombardy are by far the most economically important areas of Italy, rather than Rome.
Although some low-cost airlines like easyJet operate a handful of flights from Milan Linate, the airport is primarily used by European full-service airlines, including ITA Airways, as Linate is the Italian flag carrier’s second hub after Rome Fiumicino Airport.
Check-in and security
Milan Linate is a relatively small and well-organised airport, and when I arrived around 8 in the morning, there were hardly any queues at the check-in desks or at security.
With only one person in front of me at fast-track security, I was airside in minutes, although even in the normal security queue, I don’t think the entire process would have taken more than 10 minutes.
Once you are past security, you will follow a path that takes you straight through a duty-free shop and across several halls with a handful of cafés and restaurants until you finally reach the first couple of boarding gates.
With everything spread out among several connected halls – some feeling bright and modern with high ceilings, while others have a much more old-fashioned 1980s vibe – Milan Linate Airport won’t win any architectural design awards anytime soon.
However, the airport is clean and perfectly pleasant, and there is enough to keep you entertained in case you don’t have lounge access.
ITA Airways lounge entry requirements
Although Linate Airport sometimes feels a bit maze-like, the ITA Airways business lounge is clearly signposted.
The entrance to the ITA Airways business lounge at Milan Linate Airport, officially known as the Piazza della Scala Lounge, is located near gate A19.
The lounge is located one floor above the main terminal level, so you need to either walk up the stairs or take the lift to reach the entrance.
You receive complimentary access to the Piazza della Scala Lounge at Milan Linate Airport if you travel on an international ITA Airways flight in business class, or on an international ITA Airways flight in economy class while holding SkyTeam Elite Plus status.
When you take a domestic ITA Airways flight, you only get lounge access if you have booked a more expensive ‘Superior Flex’ domestic business class fare, as the standard ‘Superior Classic’ fare does not include lounge access.
Keep in mind that the Piazza della Scala Lounge can only be accessed when flying on ITA Airways, as passengers flying on other SkyTeam airlines serving Milan Linate Airport, such as Air France and KLM, are directed to the Sala Leonardo Lounge instead.
The ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge is open each day from 6am until 10pm.
A look around the lounge
The ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge is fairly small, consisting of just one square room with a few dozen seats.
Near the lounge entrance, you will find a buffet counter along with some high-top tables and dining tables.
The rest of the lounge space is occupied by a number of comfortable leather chairs, all facing each other.
Towards the far end of the lounge, there are floor-to-ceiling windows with a great view over the apron of Milan Linate Airport, and the chairs here are definitely the best place to sit.
These chairs all have power sockets next to them, making them a great place as well to charge your phone or plug in your laptop and get some work done.
Although the lounge has a lot of natural light and feels bright and airy thanks to the windows, it otherwise lacks charm, as the grey colour of the chairs and walls and the lack of decorative elements feels a bit depressing.
Apron views
If you are an avgeek, you will love the seating near the windows of the Piazza della Scala Lounge, as it offers terrific views over the apron and runway of Milan Linate Airport.
As you are seated directly above the only jet bridges of the terminal building, you can see some aircraft movements from up close.
With the far end of the runway relatively close to the terminal building, there are also excellent views of planes taking off.
Piazza della Scala Lounge buffet
The buffet at the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge is fairly limited in scope, so you shouldn’t visit this business lounge with overly high expectations when it comes to food.
I visited the lounge during breakfast time, which was a typical Italian affair, with a selection of sweet bakery items such as croissants, donuts, and other pastries.
However, you can also find yoghurt, cereal, jam, a selection of cold cuts, fruit salad, cakes, cookies, and some apples and kiwis at the lounge buffet
The buffet at the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge only includes hot dishes during lunch hours (12pm to 3pm) and dinner time (5pm to 8pm).
Piazza della Scala Lounge bar and drinks
At the buffet counter, you can help yourself to orange juice as well as bottles of still and sparkling water.
All other beverages, including alcoholic drinks, can be obtained free of charge from the manned bar at the Piazza della Scala Lounge.
The manned bar is by far the best feature of the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge at Milan Linate Airport, as it offers quality barista coffee, along with beer, wine, Prosecco, and a variety of cocktails and long drinks.
Other lounge facilities
Although the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge has toilets, it does not feature shower rooms.
There are also no dedicated work spaces at this lounge, although during my visit I had zero problems getting some work done on my laptop at any of the normal seats.
The Wi-Fi internet in the lounge was fast and reliable.
My lounge experience
During my visit to the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge, I enjoyed a tasty breakfast of yoghurt, cold cuts, a croissant, and a donut.
I couldn’t resist having some Prosecco alongside my glass of orange juice and double espresso.
After all, is there anything better in the morning than sipping sparkling wine while doing some planespotting from a comfortable lounge chair?
Throughout my entire stay, the lounge remained an oasis of quietness, which contributed as well to the entire business lounge experience.
Time to fly
After spending some time in the ITA Airways Lounge enjoying Prosecco and getting some work done, it was time to catch my flight to Rome Fiumicino, where I would connect to another flight to take me home.
Since Milan Linate is such a small airport, you don’t have to walk far to reach your departure gate from the lounge.
Read my article about ITA Airways’ domestic business class to learn more about my experience on the flight to Rome.
My article about an ITA Airways business class flight from Tirana to Rome provides a good idea of what to expect on board the Italian flag carrier when you take an international flight within Europe.
Conclusion
Although the Piazza della Scala Lounge, ITA Airways’ business lounge at Milan Linate Airport, is a comfortable place to wait for your flight, you shouldn’t visit it with overly high expectations.
The basics of this business lounge were solid, with quiet surroundings, comfortable seats, and abundant power sockets, making it a good place to get some work done.
The seats near the floor-to-ceiling windows of the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge are great for avid plane spotters, offering excellent views over the apron and runway of Milan Linate Airport.
When it comes to the buffet, the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge is a mixed bag, as the food offering is fairly limited, though the quality is not bad.
The standout feature of the ITA Airways Piazza della Scala Lounge at Milan Linate Airport is its manned bar, where you can enjoy complimentary drinks, including quality barista coffee, Prosecco, cocktails, and other alcoholic beverages.
