Passengers may check-in online the day before departure. Airport check-in times vary by airport. From outside Italy, check-in between one to two hours before scheduled take-off. Leaving from an Italian airport, allow 60-120 minutes for intercontinental flights, 35-150 minutes for international and 25 minutes for domestic flights (30 minutes for Rome and Milan airports).

Hand luggage: One bag is permitted with maximum total dimensions 55cm x 25cm x 35cm, and maximum weight of 8kg, plus one personal item such as a laptop or briefcase.

Checked: Economy-Class passengers may bring one piece of luggage weighing up to 23kg on most routes including domestic Italian, European and Middle Eastern flights. To (or from) Western Africa and most South American countries the allowance is two pieces weighing 23kg. On Brazil flights the allowance is two pieces weighing 32kg.

Excess: Extra weight and piece rates vary by route and range from €55 to €200.

Seat pitch: 81cm (32in)

Seats may be selected during the booking process on intercontinental flights.

Some fares may be changed, depending on the fare rules.

Infants (up to 23 months) seated on an adult’s lap pay 10 per cent. Children over five travelling alone must pay full fare, and children under five are not allowed to travel without an adult.

Alitalia doesn't offer discounts to older travellers.

On transatlantic flights, pets are treated as checked baggage. To book a pet on your flight, call the reservations number (given below).

You can carry any musical instrument that is not longer than 100cm (40in) as checked baggage. For a cello, you must buy a seat. Other instruments longer than 100cm (40in) are treated as cargo.

Alitalia boasts "the best in Italian and international cuisine." Meals to meet a variety of religious and dietary needs are available on international flights of three hours or more. For these, children’s meals and peanut-free meals, notify the airline at least 24 hours before leaving.

Alitalia's frequent-flyer scheme is called MilleMiglia.

There’s nothing like heading up in the skies to work up an appetite. Check out the airline’s menu before you fly so you can decide if you need to bring any extras. See photographs taken by fellow flyers of meals they’ve been served and read reviews at AirlineMeals.net.

Moby Dick, War and Peace, Bleak House … Do you need to pack a weighty tome or will the in-flight magazine keep you happily occupied for the duration of the flight? Ulisse, Alitalia's in-flight magazine, is published monthly and is available on every flight. The magazine is written in both Italian and English.

Alitalia is a member of the SkyTeam alliance.

Following the purchase of Alitalia (Linee Aeree Italiane, the former Italian national carrier, and Air One, its low-cost subsidiary) in 2009, Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana started operations and it is now Italy's leading carrier with more than 23 million passengers and a network of 80 destinations in Italy and around the world. Its multi-base network includes the following airports: Rome, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Turin, Venice, Naples and Catania. On trans-Atlantic routes it has a joint venture with Air France-KLM and Delta.