Airways Magazine August 2024 | Page 39

AIRPORT REVIEW Florence
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7 from Rome to Florence ( with trains running up to 70 times a day ), the total travel time would be comparable to that involved in flying .
Italy ’ s railway network offers some serious competition to airlines . Dozens of high-speed trains run the length of the Italian peninsula daily , offering comfortable , affordable , and sustainable service to millions of passengers annually . Recently , ITA Airways has started offering “ Plane + Train ” packages , enabling tourists to combine their train tickets with flights .
Given the evolution of public transport in northern and central Italy , especially between large cities , one could argue that short-haul flights from Rome Fiumicino are unnecessary . Florence , Bologna , and Naples are all served by ITA Airways with multiple daily flights but , should Italy decide to enforce a French-style ban on short-haul flights , these destinations would be likely put at risk .
AIRCRAFT
The largest commercial aircraft that flies into Florence is the Airbus A320neo . British Airways ( BA ) and SAS ( SK ) both fly the type from their respective London Heathrow ( LHR ) and Copenhagen ( CPH ) hubs . Florence hosts large numbers of A319s from multiple airlines , as well as the rare Air France ( AF )
5 Vueling ’ s smallest aircraft , the A319 , touches down with Florence ’ s vineyards in the background .
6 On the first floor , passengers can find the checkin desks . Arranged in two rows , the first of which is dedicated to Lufthansa Group .
7 Recently , Florence implemented a self-service bag drop system to streamline the check-in procedure . However , this was hardly used by any passenger during my visit .
8 Florence ATC tower and radar , featuring the purple lily , the symbol of Florence .
9 ITA Airways flies its A319s to the Tuscan city multiple times daily . The airline also offers priority check-in here .
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