AIRPORT REVIEW
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15 Florence ’ s Cathedral and Cappelle Medicee at night . The cathedral is one of the largest in the world , and its 1420 dome remains the largest masonry vault ever built . The Cathedral is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site .
16 Palazzo Vecchio , Florence ’ s City Hall , as seen from the Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint at night . The building hosts the famous ‘ Salone dei Cinquecento ’ as well as a copy of Michelangelo ’ s David .
( VY ), flies to its Barcelona hub and popular European destinations .
On the other hand , Pisa is an important airport for Ryanair ( FR ). Interestingly , the airport also offers non-stop flights to Dubai International ( DXB ) with flydubai ( FZ ) and , in the past , Delta Air Lines ( DL ) used to fly non-stop to New York JFK .
Toscana Aeroporti has established distinct identities for its two airports , diversifying their respective tourism and business offerings . In doing so , the group represents a comprehensive platform for legacy and low-cost airlines to boost tourism in Tuscany . However , this platform is missing a rather fundamental piece .
PASSENGER EXPERIENCE
Florence has been my home airport for years . Over the past decade , I have appreciated its fast network evolution and the unveiling of its new terminal . However , on multiple occasions , I have experienced go-arounds and diversions to Pisa , Bologna , and Rome . In early June , I had the chance to fly on board KLM ’ s Embraer E195-E2 bound for Amsterdam Schiphol .
I reached the airport by public transport , taking full advantage of the new tram line from Florence ’ s city center . Then , it was a short walk to the checkin counters . The queues at security can get long here , but I was rather lucky on this occasion .
The duty-free area offers everything you would expect in Italy : food , wines , and more . After comparing the high prices of the groceries and wines to those offered by regular Italian supermarkets , I followed the long corridors that connect the departure lounge to the terminal . I passed newsagents , a few more shops , a bar , and the airport ’ s only lounge . Interestingly , this hallway also accommodates a gate . After going through an even narrower corridor , I arrived at the departure hall , which features limited seating space and all the gates but one . During the morning hours , hundreds of passengers can crowd this area , which is in desperate need of expansion .
42 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE AUGUST 2024 www . airwaysmag . com