Rome’s Fiumicino Airport Expanding

ROMES NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL

Airport operator Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) that runs Rome’s Fiumicino airport might spend $13.5bn over the next 30 years on upgrading physical infrastructure and improving the airport’s links with the rest of Italy.

The country’s sixth biggest airport, Fiumicino, served close to 44 million passengers last year. As a part of its upgrade plans, the airport plans to increase that number to 100 million by 2044, reports Airports Business Magazine.

The airport is planning this expansion to be able to compete with its northern European rivals to become one of the continent’s main hubs.

“The integration of the two transport systems, air and rail, will confirm the role of Fiumicino as the country’s hub.”
However, the plan has met with some local opposition as groups are claiming that the expansion would result in concreting over a neolithic burial ground.

Airports Business Magazine quoted CEO of ADR Lorenzo Lo Presti as saying: “The integration of the two transport systems, air and rail, will confirm the role of Fiumicino as the country’s hub, and extend the offering of flights to the areas of Bologna, Florence and Venice, where citizens currently reach their intercontinental destinations through airports such as Frankfurt and Paris.”

The expansion will entail refurbishment of four existing terminals. The complete process has been divided into Fiumicino South Completion Plan and the Fiumicino North Masterplan, which was drawn up by UK architect Pascall + Watson and Aecom subsidiary URS.

With the southern plan, the airport will be able to increase its terminal area and upgrade its apron, taxiways and all subsystems, including loading bridges, baggage reclaim and technical plants.