Tag Archives: Rome Fiumicino Airport

Rome Fiumicino Airport opens a new pier A

The new boarding area A for Schengen and domestic flights was inaugurated today at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. The event, attended by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, was also attended by the President of ENAC, Pierluigi Di Palma, the Mayor of Fiumicino, Esterino Montino, the Mayor of the Metropolitan City of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, the President of the Lazio Region, Nicola Zingaretti, and the Minister of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility, Enrico Giovannini. Also present were Atlantia Chairman Giampiero Massolo together with Atlantia CEO Carlo Bertazzo as well as ADR Chairman Claudio De Vincenti and CEO Marco Troncone.

The new 37,000 m2 Boarding Area A, a testimonial to Italian excellence from an engineering and architectural point of view, was completed using the airport site as efficiently as possible (without consuming additional land) and built using the country’s best expertise. It is a state-of-the-art infrastructure for innovative and environmentally friendly solutions that will accommodate an additional 6 million departing passengers yearly at Fiumicino airport, thanks to 23 new gates, 13 of which are equipped with boarding bridges. The infrastructure, an important step in the project to upgrade the eastern area of the airport with a total investment of EUR 400 million, was completed despite the difficult years of the pandemic, which hit the air transport sector particularly hard. It is, therefore, part of Aeroporti di Roma’s airport development project and of the Atlantia Group’s sustainability and innovation-oriented path, whose focus is to make investments that enable the energy transition of its assets while at the same time activating its strong technological upgrade.

The work consists of two large structures connected by a linking body along which 7 masterpieces from the Ostia antica Archaeological Park are exhibited to promote Roman classicism and the historical and artistic value of the area where

Fiumicino airport operates an innovative pier dedicated to flights to Schengen and domestic destinations, which allows the docking of the most modern aircraft available and an exclusive shopping gallery with over 6,000 square metres of space dedicated to retail and excellent food & beverage. Outstanding services, in line with the record achieved by ADR in passenger appreciation, certified by Airport Council International and obtained by the Roman airport for five years in a row.

Marco Finelli reporting from Italy.

Alitalia threatens to shift its Rome Fiumicino hub elsewhere

Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) is upset about the airport’s continued focus of attracting low-cost operators at its Rome Fiumicino (FCO) hub and the current neglect for the infrastructure. The flag carrier is now threatening to move its hub elsewhere. The airline issued this statement about the current situation at FCO:

The damage to Alitalia by the consequences of the fire which broke out on May 7 at Fiumicino Airport amounted to 80 million Euros to date.

The recent reopening of Terminal 3 has marked the end of the emergency phase but not the end of many problems and limitations that continue have heavy effects on airport operations. Alitalia will calculate the total amount of damages only when the airport will operate at pre-fire standards.

Alitalia is the only airline to have its hub in Fiumicino. About 50% of the total number of flights in Fiumicino are Alitalia. Alitalia is by far the airline most affected from the consequences of the fire.

“We had a difficult period due to an event that affected us deeply. – declared Silvano Cassano, Chief Executive Officer of Alitalia -. In this period we have given up any controversy and we focused entirely on the service to customers, to reduce the inconvenience.”

Alitalia has completed an initial balance of the damages for the cancellation of thousands of flights and for a multitude of operational problems that have highlighted the fragility of the airport infrastructure as a whole. Alitalia will seek compensation for the damage it sustained, which so far totals 80 million euro.

“Our relaunch plan is complex, and in one of the most competitive sectors in Italy and in the world – continues Cassano – Fiumicino Airport in its current state is not an appropriate infrastructure to serve as the hub of an airline with our ambitions“.

“The problems of Fiumicino come from years and years of inadequate investment and planning and are now structural, we hope there will be less attention to finance and more attention to the market and to passengers needs”.

“If Fiumicino will continue to focus on low cost carriers and mediocre services, Alitalia will be forced to shift its growth elsewhere”.

Top Copyright Photo: Marco Finelli/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-243 ER EI-DBL (msn 32781) arrives at the FCO hub wears special “Franciacorta” markings as a salute to Alitalia’s Expo 2015 partner.

Alitalia aircraft slide show:

Alitalia moves all check-in operations to Terminal 1 at Rome Fiumicino due to the Terminal 3 fire

Alitalia (3rd) (Rome) has issued this statement about airport operations at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO). Terminal 3 of Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino was struck by a fire which upset airport operations. Here is the statement:

Due to the fact that Terminal 3 has been condemned for airport operations, Alitalia informs that the check-in operations for all domestic, international and intercontinental flights of the Company will be carried out at Terminal 1.

Alitalia has also set up two task forces, composed of about 100 people from operating and commercial areas, including managers, in order to simplify service and to give information to passengers departing or transiting at Rome Fiumicino airport.

Previously Alitalia restarted operations at yesterday at 2 pm (1400).

Today the airport issued this statement:

FIUMICINO TERMINAL 3 REOPENED

After yesterday’s fire, the Terminal is gradually being reopened by Aeroporti di Roma teams, each staffed with 300 technicians, cleaning and maintenance personnel who worked all through the night to restore operations at the Terminal 3 from early this morning.

All this has been possible because the event affected only the commercial area, beyond security check counters.

Videos: The terminal fire at FCO:

Terminal Map at FCO:

Alitalia is resuming Rome-Marseille service on October 26

Alitalia (2nd) (Rome) starting on October 26 is resuming Rome-Marseille service, after 16 years with Airbus A319 aircraft. The route is being restored after a 16-year absence per Airline Route. Alitalia last operated this route in October 1998 with ATR 72s.

Here is summary of new routes this summer:

In the summer season Alitalia’s network grew with four new direct connections:

From Venice to Tokyo
From Rome Fiumicino to Comiso and Skopje, Capital of Macedonia.
From Milan Linate to Warsaw and Prague
From Alghero to Turin

Seasonal flights:

Seasonal flights will operate from Rome to Thessaloniki. Seasonal flights from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Los Angeles and Chicago will began in May.

June to September:

from Rome and Milan Linate to Lampedusa and Pantelleria;
from Rome to Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Rhodes.

July to September service will resume from Naples to Olbia.

New summer routes will operate in August:

from Milan Malpensa to Ibiza and Rhodes;
from Milan Linate to Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion and Copenhagen (the last starting from June);
from Rome to Menorca, to Mykonos and Heraklion.

Copyright Photo: Karl Cornil/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-112 EI-IMI (msn 1745) in the special Discover Friuli Venezia Guilia livery arrives at the Rome (Fiumicino) hub.

Alitalia (2nd):