From New York to Milan, in low-cost: here's how to fly with Neos spending less than €250
Neos, the Alpitour Group's airline, in addition to operating charter flights for guests of the various resorts [...]
Neos Air
MXP
United States of America
Neos, the airline of the Alpitour Group., in addition to operating charter flights for the guests of the group's various resorts around the world, also operates ordinary connections and the flight to New York JFK, launched in November 2021.
In this article:
- Specifications
- Aircraft:
- B787
- Class:
- Economy
- Treat:
- JFK - MXP
- Price:
- 249
- Book
Neos operates this route with Dreamliners, some 787/9s in the fleet are ex-Norwegian that the Italian carrier snapped up after the Norwegian low-cost carrier went bankrupt. The Milan/New York route is the most contested route in Italy. To date it is operated by seven companies.
Reservation
I got this ticket on December 30, 2021, I needed to return to Italy from the US. So it was the perfect opportunity to try the second Italian carrier, after ITA Airways, with a one-way ticket from the Big Apple to Milan.
I chose the cheapest ticket possible, so much I knew I would fly light and had no special requirements, in fact the only extra I spent was the choice of place: the 10A. The final cost of the ticket was 243.99€ divided as follows: 214.76 the travel fare, 4 euro seat choice and 25.23€ tax. I would say not bad for an almost 8-hour flight.
Of course, this is an all-inclusive rate, and any extra services raise the cost of the ticket. A seat in the first rows of economy costs 100€, and the embarked suitcase costs 50 to 75€, depending on the weight.
At the airport
Neos departs from T1 at JFK, the same as ITA Airways and many other airlines.
Upon my arrival in the cab, the driver asked for the name of the company, this is because outside the terminal there are logos of the various carriers that are placed near the entrance closest to the check-in counters.
Unfortunately, Neos is not present, so the cab dropped me off at the end of the terminal.
The Neos check-in counters, on the other hand, are in the middle of the terminal (in aisle 6), and when I arrived, about 2 hours before my flight, they were virtually deserted.
Paperwork took less than 45"; with my boarding pass I headed for security. Neos does not participate in any alliance and does not have a loyalty program (if I were Alpitour I would think about it).
Obviously Neos does not have a lounge and in any case with my economy basic ticket I wouldn't have had access anyway. Fortunately, my free Priority Pass helps me when I fly low-cost To find a lounge to wait for my flight.
At T1, according to the app, there are as many as 4 lounges accessible for PP passengers. Too bad. KLounge to be open only in the early morning and late afternoon. La LH lounge does not allow access between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and the Air France's Salon Vip to be open only at times when there are AF flights. departing.
The last option was PrimeClass, which is located at the end of the terminal, in the Gate 8 area.
I admit that I had never been there, but I was happily amazed by this room.
The lounge is not huge, but it is nice and, thanks to the windows on the runway, it also has a well-lit part. Considering that it is an independent lounge, it is not bad at all.
Delayed boarding & no rules
The departure was delayed for security checks by TSA. It was nice to see the crew not being able to board while waiting for the security agency to finish its checks.
Boarding procedures took place in complete anarchy: passengers in premium economy asked where to line up to take advantage of priority boarding, and gate agents replied, "You all board in one group."
In the end, boarding started 30 minutes late, we came off the gate at 5:15 p.m. and took off at 5:50 p.m. after almost half an hour in line since we had missed our turn.
On board
These 787s have 18 premium economy seats With a 2-3-2 configuration and 331 economy seats With the classic 9 seats per row, 3-3-3. For a total of 349 seats. Of these only 125 were occupied by passengers. Boarding was through the center door, with premium and comfort economy passengers invited to turn toward the front of the plane, and everyone else directed to the second and third cabins.
It reminded me a lot of the flights I did in the pandemic period, when I even flew routes Intercontinental with fewer than 20 passengers on board. I didn't know that a few days later I would fly to Tokyo with even fewer passengers.
Extra Plus economy seats are at the front of the plane, just behind the premium economy cabin. They are in fact the same as economy class seats only with more legroom. Choosing these seats at check-in costs 60 to 100€, depending on the type. About the same as ITA Airways and other airlines offer these seats. Those who choose them should also have access to priority boarding when it is done.
My 10A seat was the second row behind the tailgate, and since the flight was virtually empty, I had no one sitting in the two seats to my right. Not bad at all!
Legroom is average, the seat is the classic economy one found in dozens of other planes.
The headrest is height-adjustable, the wings are foldable, and offer decent support so you don't end up sleeping on your neighbor's shoulder. Although in this case, with so few passengers on board, it was not a big deal.
Unfortunately, no air intakes, and this is a real malus.
PS There were two small children on board who took turns constantly crying, especially one. Of course, I blessed for the umpteenth time my Airpods Max, which saved me from a nightmarish trip, insulating me far better than the regulation headphones.
I say this as a dad who traveled with a daughter starting when she was very few months old, before getting an intercontinental as her first flight, maybe take a few short flights to get the little one used to it. I don't know if it works for everyone, but it worked for my daughter.
Standard equipment in the bathroom, that is, only soap.
When I popped into the bathroom, I poked around the section of the cabin that offers the Extra Plus seats. They are 4 rows that have the same seats as economy, only more legroom. The cost is in line with what ITA Airways sells Economy Comfort with, the added advantage is that with ITA there is no is physical separation from the economy cabin.
Food & Beverage
The service started about 60 minutes after takeoff, usually on night flights it is done as soon as possible just to allow passengers to sleep.
No menu is distributed, even in digital form through the IFE. No choices are offered. But, given how much you pay, it is already strange that there is a service.
On the tray was a small salad with some carrots, the hot dish was chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables, and for dessert a slice of cake. The cake was edible, the rest totally tasteless.
In my opinion, in this type of flight, the standard service should be eliminated and proposed a pay-as-you-go menu, as is now the case on so many carriers. Better to pay 10 to 15 euros for a quality product than a tasteless mappazzone just to gulp down something solid, or you bring your own schiscetta from home or do takeout at the airport.
After the service they also came by with hot drinks. About 90 minutes after landing, breakfast was served. A croissant and hot tea.
Service
Very young, friendly and smiling crew. Even with a desire to chat with passengers, you can tell they don't have years of travel on their legs. Usually on these overnight flights there is a rush to hide as quickly as possible.
It's just too bad they got chatty in the galley, which was exactly attached to the cradle where one of the two infants in the flight had just fallen asleep. The lights in the cabin were not turned down immediately after the end of the service, but approximately 45 minutes later, which is strange for this type of flight.
Wi-Fi
Neos has advertised a lot about the presence of wi-fi aboard its fleet and the possibility of using the service even for free, thanks to sponsors who offer it. Or alternatively you can pay €9.99 for two hours of connection or €19.99 for the entire flight.
The wi-fi is free if you watch the commercials and each commercial gives 15 minutes of free web.
Beware, however: it is not unlimited and this is not explained. Since you see several commercials you are led to think that each commercial will give away 15 minutes of surfing, but this is not the case: after the second recharge, you have no more available offers.
IFE, Advertising & Amenity Kit
Nothing is provided to the passenger; there is no small pillow or even cover. This is not surprising. Air Canada even sells headphones on board to use the entertainment system, here they are there and they are free.
Each seat is equipped with its own screen, and the dimensions are not much different from those found on other 787s.
Under each device is the USB and headphone jack.
Headphones that are left in place, and system usable a few minutes after doors are closed. I applaud the choice not to provide earbuds but real headphones that cover the ears and protect from outside noise, admittedly not Bose, but certainly better than earbuds.
The content offering is not too rich. There are about 80 films, little new stuff and many vintage films.
The bizarre thing is that about 45 minutes after takeoff, advertising began on the screens of all passengers, even those turned off. Unavoidable publicity that lasted about ten minutes.
There are no series or TV shows, the games are very basic. There is no live TV or anything else available except music channels.
There are no cameras, but on the 787 it is fairly standard, and the virtual maps to follow the route are very basic.
I must say that the sponsored wi-fi gimmick is really cute, but the one in the TV commercials is really unwatchable. Appreciable, however, is the fact that the paid wi-fi is not traffic-based, but time-based.
If you want to turn off the screen just tap the little ball in the middle part, it will open the menu that allows you to adjust brightness, volume and precisely the shutdown.
In conclusion
Given what I paid and what I received, I would take this flight many more times. The schedule from JFK is perfect for enjoying the morning in Manhattan and arriving in Milan at 7 de morning with the whole day still ahead.
Surely it was influenced by the fact that the plane had only 1/3 of the passengers on board, but was comparable to flying with a traditional airline, and I honestly doubt that you could fly from Italy on a direct flight, aboard a 787, for less than €250 for a one-way ticket.
Friendly and young shipboard staff, but you can't just stand around chatting, as if you were at the bar, in the center galley, and what's more, next to the baby who cries all the time.
Pro
- Friendly and present staff
- The price
- Free or time-based wifi, not traffic-based wifi
Against
- Overly chatty staff
- Poor catering