ROMA – For Italian airports, the municipal tax on airline tickets is like for us a bone in the throat after Easter lunch: a real damnation. This tax, which takes the form of an additional charge, increases the price of each ticket by up to 9 euros in our country.
Alfonso Celotto, you chair Aeroporti 2030. Therefore you also give voice to Aeroporti di Roma which manages Fiumicino and Ciampino, and to Save, for Venice. You are asking the government and Parliament for the surcharge to change. In what terms?
“First. Its revenues must be effectively allocated to the municipalities that are close to the airport, without prejudice to the share for the Air Transport Fund”.
Second?
“We ask for the reduction of the surcharge and to avoid further increases, especially to the detriment of travellers. And – thirdly – we must prevent local authorities from moving in a haphazard manner, outside of national coordination”.
The glaring differences in the amount of the surcharge are causing distortions in the market
Local authorities should be free to set the surcharge they consider most appropriate.
“Free, up to a certain point. The glaring differences in the amount of the surcharge are causing distortions in the market. Friuli Venezia Giulia, which has even eliminated the surcharge, has strongly altered the competitive dynamics, just to give a recent example”.
In the meantime, it could be established that the surcharge is lower for small ports. Does this seem like a good idea to you?
“Honestly, not much. This solution would end up not only altering the dynamics of competition between the different airports, but also creating unequal treatment between airlines without bringing benefits to the competitiveness and connectivity of the country”.
President: when we go to France and Germany we arrive at the most important airports on board the high-speed train. A solution that we dream of here.
“We also represent the – strategic – airports of Rome Fiumicino and Venice, recipients of very concrete projects in this regard. High speed already arrives at Fiumicino. The point is to intensify the frequencies to facilitate train-air integration on the routes towards America and Asia”.
The train will arrive at Fiumicino from Southern Italy and from the Florence-Bologna route without passing through Rome Termini
I would point out that the high-speed train arrives at Fiumicino, therefore the Frecciarossa, but not the platform.
“When the track also arrives, the train will arrive at Fiumicino from Southern Italy and from the Florence-Bologna route without passing through Rome Termini. This must be the final outcome of all our efforts.”
And about Venice?
“We are already working on a direct connection with the railway network. Governments of all colors have well understood that the integration between high-speed rail and air is decisive. Of course, they are expensive works. Before they are completed, many other things can be done immediately.”
A concrete example?
“The airports in the North East will assist airport workers by cross-referencing data on their residences and public transport routes. And so, at any time, workers will always know which road, bus or subway is best to take to get to the airport or return home”.
No nation, not even wonderful Italy, can set aside a policy of promoting its beauties and also its ports of call
With what concrete advantages?
“They will be flashy. I am thinking of reducing consumption and emissions and improving the quality of life of workers. Meanwhile, Rome Fiumicino has already launched the first integrated train-air ticket and the check-in service at the station, a concrete example of efficient intermodality”.
In air transport, intercontinental trips are the most important, also because they provide the carriers with the greatest revenue. How is Italy positioned in this area?
“Good, but not great. The uniqueness of our country is still clear to the world and to tourists. But no nation, not even wonderful Italy, can set aside a policy of promoting its beauties and also its ports of call.”
And how is promotion done?
“How many hours do I have to respond? The channels are endless. But in the meantime I’ll give you a concrete example. The new National Airport Plan, which will be presented shortly, will give space to the internationalization of routes. We have proposed the introduction of the figure of the destination manager. He is a person within the airport, who has the task of making Italian tourist and airport destinations visible, attractive and desirable”.
We need more intercontinental flights directed towards our country. Direct, means that they do not stop in other countries
Are intercontinental flights to Italy sufficient?
“We can, we must do more. We need more intercontinental flights directed towards our country. Direct, means that they do not stop in other countries. The airport, as you can well understand, involves a dispersion of passengers.”
Passengers who get off in other countries, without reaching us.
“Precisely. Traffic leaks, as they say in jargon, that we must intercept.”
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– 2024-05-10 00:14:59
