Italian Coast Amalfi Will Have Airport And Access To Commercial Airlines

Amalfi Coast, Italy. (Wikimedia Commons/Nan Palmero)

JAKARTA - The more difficult it is to achieve a destination, the more beauty you will be waiting for, the 'rules' are not written for tourists visiting Italy.

It also used to apply to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, Amalfi Coast. However, in the future it will change with the airport 'attend' to access the destination.

Yes, that is in line with the plan to 'open' Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport in July. The airport is located 45 kilometers (28 miles) southeast of Amalfi City and 21 kilometers (13 miles) from Salerno City, the famous gateway to the beach.

This is a reopening of the airport, not a new airport built from scratch. First built in 1926, over the past 98 years, the airport has been used as a military airport, flight school, fire center, and private airport.

In 2007, it was developed to allow commercial flights as well. The runway was extended, and two gates and four check-in tables were built. Airlines using it include Air Dolomiti and VolaSalerno. The airport was then completely closed in 2016.

July 11 will be the new start of this airport with the arrival of a Volotean commercial flight, a Spanish airline.

Permits to operate commercial flights are granted in January, and for its upcoming opening, the runway has been extended to 2,000 meters (6,562 ft). Aircraft parking lots and facilities have been added.

The operation began slowly because this airport is still in the development stage and is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

This year, Volotea will serve four destinations, starting with Nantes in France and Cagliari in Sardinia in July, as well as Verona and Catania in September. Other "important airlines" are also in talks to serve the airport, according to a GESAC spokesperson, who runs the airport, reported by CNN on March 10.

The plan is for the new passenger terminal to be built in 2026-2027. The 16,000 square meter (172,222 square feet) terminal was designed by Dutch company Deerns, who won the tender for the expansion project, as their plan "depending on respect for the environment and integration of the local area," GESAC said in a statement..

Previously, the company had worked on the Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam Schiphol and Kuwait City airport projects.

A futuristic-looking terminal will be built using natural and environmentally friendly materials. While the roof will accommodate photovoltaic panels to generate energy, which will reduce CO2 emissions.

The construction of the second phase will also extend the runway again to 2,200 meters (7,218 feet).

Meanwhile, a new public flight terminal (especially for private aircraft) will be built next year. Commercial operators will also use it until their new passenger terminal is completed.

The airport will be developed until 2043, which at the time is targeting to process six million passengers per year. This will help reduce pressure on Capodichino International Airport in Naples, which records a record 12.4 million passengers by 2023.

Carlos Mu wayoz, founder and president of Volotea, called the airport's opening an "important moment for the region" in a statement shared with CNN.

Meanwhile, Roberto Barbieri from GESAC called the news an extraordinary 'crazy wheel' for the development of tourism in our region.

Although the Amalfi Coast is battling excessive tourist flow, when authorities imposed large restrictions on cars to reduce congestion, local residents looked happy.

Fausto Salsano, owner of Vietri Centro B&B at Vietri sul Mare, the first village on the famous coastline, told CNN: "I'm very happy we will have Amalfi Coast airport".

"For those of us who are involved in the tourism business, this will be a starting point to further emphasize ourselves in our work," he said.