ITALY: Milan's Malpensa airport lost its status of international hub as international flights are now switched to Rome

Record ID: 784463

  • Title: ITALY: Milan's Malpensa airport lost its status of international hub as international flights are now switched to Rome
  • Date: 30th March 2008
  • Summary: (BN10) ROME, ITALY (MARCH 30, 2008) (REUTERS) PEOPLE IN LINE/ QUEUING AT CHECK-IN COUNTER PASSENGERS WITH LUGGAGE MONITORS ALITALIA EMPLOYEE PUTTING ALITALIA SIGN ON THE WALL PEOPLE IN LINE WITH ALITALIA SIGN ALITALIA EMPLOYEE AT COUNTER PEOPLE AT CHECK IN ALITALIA EMPLOYEE NAMING FLIGHTS MOVED FROM MALPENSA PEOPLE AT CHECK IN COUNTER (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) PASSENGER STEFANIA ALETTA FLYING TO BEIRUT SAYING: "I am very happy because on the way in my flight had a three hour delay in Malpensa. It took me twelve hours to reach Rome. It's a blessing, this flight from Fiumicino now." PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) PAOLO CRASSO ARRIVING FROM TIRANA: "With the switch from Malpensa to Fiumicino my flight was anticipated so I had to fly out of Tirana at 6.00 and arrive here at 7.10. For me this is negative because I have to get up early, but it's bad also for Malpensa and for those working there. Why build such a beautiful airport if flights are now switched here? It is a mistake. That's Italy. Hurray for Italy." MONITOR (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) CLAUDIO SPAGNUOLO, ROME'S FIUMICINO AIRPORT EMPLOYEE SAYING: "The amount of work that Fiumicino will now have will be just like we have in the summer or even more. I hope that as a result of this they are not going to fire anyone in Malpensa. We now have the same amount of work as before Malpensa was made international hub in 2000. I hope they are not going to fire workers like us. It would be very sad." VARIOUS PEOPLE INSIDE AIRPORT EXTERIOR OF FIUMICINO AIRPORT WITH PARKED ALITALIA AIRPLANES AIRPLANE TAKING OFF
  • Embargoed: 14th April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Travel / Tourism,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA12QUR5FB5XYPG0EBCCDNUCC91
  • Story Text: The efforts to restructure ailing Alitalia have caused the switch of many international flights from Malpensa airport near Milan to Rome's Fiumicino airport.
    A switch of several international flights from the air hub of Malpensa near Milan to Rome's Fiumicino airport took place on Sunday (March 30) as part of efforts to restructure ailing airline Alitalia.
    In the upcoming weeks Alitalia is expected to eliminate hundreds of flights from the airport of the northern Italian city that will loose its status of international hub.
    Among the first inter-continental routes now originating from Rome's Fiumicino Airport are Beirut, Toronto, Tel Aviv and Dubai.
    Many passengers felt relieved at the idea of not having to fly trough Malpensa.

    "I am very happy because on the way in my flight had a three hour delay in Malpensa. It took me twelve hours to reach Rome. It's a blessing, this flight from Fiumicino now," passenger Stefania Aletta said, on her way to Beirut.
    But for some travellers the connections are not as convenient as before.

    "With the switch from Malpensa to Fiumicino my flight was anticipated so I had to fly out of Tirana at 6.00 and arrive here at 7.10. For me this is negative because I have to get up early, but it's bad also for Malpensa and for those working there. Why build such a beautiful airport if flights are now switched here? It is a mistake. That's Italy. Hurray for Italy," passenger Paolo Crasso, arriving from Tirana, said.
    Many local employees believe that the switch will do good to Fiumicino airport and that it will bring more and more work.

    "The amount of work that Fiumicino will now have will be just like we have in the summer or even more. I hope that as a result of this they are not going to fire anyone in Malpensa. We now have the same amount of work as before Malpensa was made international hub in 2000. I hope they are not going to fire workers like us. It would be very sad," said Fiumicino airport worker Claudio Spagnuolo.
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