Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport Explained

Bologna
Guglielmo Marconi Airport
Nativename:Italian: Aeroporto di Bologna-Guglielmo Marconi
Image2-Width:250
Iata:BLQ
Icao:LIPE
Pushpin Map:Italy Emilia-Romagna#Italy
Pushpin Mapsize:200
Pushpin Mark:Airplane_silhouette.svg
Pushpin Label:BLQ
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the airport in Italy
Type:Public
Operator:Aeroporto di Bologna S.p.A.
City-Served:Bologna, Italy
Hub:Ryanair, neos
Elevation-F:123
Elevation-M:37
Coordinates:44.5354°N 11.2887°W
Website:www.bologna-airport.it
R1-Number:12/30
R1-Length-F:9,196
R1-Length-M:2,800
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:9,970,284
Stat2-Data: 17.4%
Stat3-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat3-Data:78,658
Stat4-Data: 11.0%
Stat5-Header:Cargo (tons)
Stat5-Data:50,994
Stat6-Data: 7.6%
Stat-Year:2023
Footnotes:Source: Assaeroporti[1]

Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (Italian: Aeroporto di Bologna-Guglielmo Marconi) is an international airport serving the city of Bologna in Italy. It is approximately 6km (04miles) northwest of the city centre in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The airport is named after Bologna native Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian electrical engineer and Nobel laureate.[2]

History

The original Bologna airport was opened in 1933 some 500 metres to the west of the present building.[3] This airport was used until the 1970s, by which time it had become impractically small for passenger numbers and was replaced by the present airport.[4]

In June 2005, Eurofly began a nonstop flight from Bologna to New York City. It operated the route on a seasonal basis with Airbus A330s.[5] [6] The link lasted until 2008.[7] In June 2019, American Airlines introduced seasonal service to Philadelphia on a Boeing 767.[8] [9] Given Bologna's proximity to Tuscany, the company anticipated that tourists bound for the region would take the flight. However, it had difficulty attracting them and discontinued the route in September 2019.[10]

Facilities

Terminal

There is one terminal, which underwent an expansion during 2011–2013. It now has a total area of 36100m2, of which 5500m2 is shopping areas. A new baggage handling system was installed and there are now 24 departure gates, all are bus gates since there are not yet any jetways at the airport.[11]

Runway

Bologna airport has one runway, 12/30, made of asphalt; its dimensions are 2800by.[12]

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Bologna Airport:

Statistics

Passenger numbers at Bologna-Borgo Panigale[13]
YearPassengers HandledChange %Aircraft MovementsChange %Cargo (tonnes)Change %
2000 % % %
2001 % % %
2002 % % %
2003 % % %
2004 % % %
2005 % % %
2006 % % %
2007 % % %
2008 % % %
2009 % % %
2010 % % %
2011 % % %
2012 % % %
2013 % % %
2014 % % %
2015 % % %
2016 % % %
2017 % % %
2018 % % %
CityPassengers
1 Catania 395,367
2 Rome 295,627
3 Palermo 285,648
4 Brindisi 177,379
5 Bari 167,098
6 Lamezia Terme 165,553
7 Cagliari 126,093
8 Napoli 105,199
9 Alghero 104,677
CityPassengers
1 Barcelona, Spain 340,319
2 Frankfurt, Germany 302,331
3 Paris, France 298,522
4 London, United Kingdom (Heathrow) 293,385
5 Madrid, Spain 285,343
6 Amsterdam, Netherlands 226,935
7 London, United Kingdom (Stansted) 221,658
8 Munich, Germany 203,185
9 Bucharest, Romania 188,553
10 Istanbul, Turkey183,785

Ground transportation

By monorail

The airport is about 5km (03miles) from Bologna Centrale railway station. Opened in 2020, the Marconi Express monorail connects the airport to Bologna Centrale railway station with a travel time of approximately 7.5 minutes.[14]

Soon after its inauguration, the service started suffering significant disruptions, culminating with its suspension between November 2021 and February 2022, with surreptitious substitution via normal buses, despite oblivious customers paying the full fare for a service they never received.[15] [16] As of February 2022, the issues persists, and normal buses are still integrating the service.[17]

By car

Motorways:

By bus

A shuttle bus service, route Aerobus (BLQ), used to run between the station and the airport before the advent of Marconi Express. In case of events at the Bologna Fiere trade fair venue, BLQ operated a direct connection between the Airport and the bus terminus Fiera Viale Aldo Moro.[19] Route BLQ has been withdrawn as of 18 November 2020, with the introduction of the Marconi Express[20]

The only TPER bus connections available to and from the airport are routes 54, between the Airport and Borgo Panigale; and 944, between the Airport and the Maggiore Hospital, calling at Via della Birra, Via del Triumvirato, Pontelungo, and Santa Viola. Route 944 is extended to Bologna Centrale railway station in its last two departures at 00.15 and 00.45, while its first two departures from the railway station are at 5.20 and 5.30; due to the people mover being yet to begin service.[21]

From the nearby Via della Birra and Via del Triumvirato, it is possible to board suburban routes (also operated by TPER), 81, 81A, 91 and 91A to Longara, Padulle, Bagno di Piano and Calderara di Reno.

The airport has daily direct bus connections with Ferrara, Florence, Modena, Cervia, Ravenna, and Rimini, and three times a week with Ascoli Piceno.

By train

The nearest railway station is Calderara-Bargellino railway station, about 4km (02miles) from the airport. However, there is no public transport connection between the two.Passengers coming by rail are expected to change for the Monorail at Bologna Central Station.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statistiche. assaeroporti.com.
  2. Web site: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) . 2022-03-02 . Laenderdaten.info . de.
  3. ^ Aeroporto di Bologna,sez. cenni storici, su italiarimborso.it. URL accessed 14 June 2022.
  4. La storia dell'aeroporto, su volabologna.it. URL accessed 14 June 2022.
  5. Web site: Eurofly lancia nuovi voli per New York e aspetta il 2006 per quotarsi in Borsa . Il Giornale . 14 June 2005 . 22 January 2022 . Stefanato, Paolo . Italian.
  6. Web site: Inaugurato il volo di linea Bologna-New York. Da oggi attivi tre collegamenti settimanali diretti. . Bologna Airport . 13 June 2005 . 22 January 2022 . 3 June 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060603180834/http://www.bologna-airport.it/template/detailComunicati.asp?IDFolder=168&IDOggetto=7331&LN=IT&mCO=%26GdwdFrpxqlfdwr%26%23GHVF%2F%23LGRjjhwwr%23GHVF&mCW=%26Wlwror%26%23LV%23QRW%23QXOO&mCJ= . Italian.
  7. Web site: Addio Philadelphia, American Airlines ferma il volo dal 2020 . Corriere di Bologna . 10 August 2019 . 22 January 2022 . Testa, Alessandra . Italian.
  8. Web site: American Airlines launches six new connections from hubs . Anna.aero . 10 June 2019 . 22 January 2022 . 2021-05-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210513093022/https://www.anna.aero/2019/06/10/american-airlines-takes-off-from-philadelphia-to-berlin/.
  9. Web site: American Airlines is Sending You on Your Way . American Airlines . 5 June 2019 . 22 January 2022.
  10. Web site: American Airlines adding first flights to Africa, Poland, returning to Tel Aviv . USA Today . 8 August 2019 . 22 January 2022 . Gilbertson, Dawn.
  11. Web site: Terminal restyling and expansion. https://web.archive.org/web/20130728161521/http://www.bologna-airport.it/uk/airport-and-services/terminal-restyling-and-expansion/?IDFolder=1404&LN=UK. dead. 28 July 2013.
  12. Web site: Telepass - Car Parks - Bologna Airport G. Marconi. 5 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130729220931/http://www.bologna-airport.it/uk/files/images/pista.asp?Anno=&IDFolder=206&IDFolder1=923&IDOggetto=2110&IDOggetto1=60038&IDTemplateField=372&LN=UK&mCJ1=&mCO1=&mCW1=. 29 July 2013. dead.
  13. Web site: Statistiche - Assaeroporti. assaeroporti.com.
  14. Web site: Il tracciato. 11 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20171221051459/http://www.marconiexpress.it/il-tracciato. 21 December 2017. dead.
  15. Web site: Giostra People Mover, il comitato contrario: "Tutto previsto, si completi l'Sfm". 15 November 2021 .
  16. Web site: People Mover, le ragioni del flop e la contesa tra Comune e Marconi Express. 31 January 2022 .
  17. Web site: People mover, ripartite due navette. February 2022 .
  18. Web site: Driving directions to & from Bologna Airport G. Marconi. 5 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140702133449/http://www.bologna-airport.it/uk/airport-and-services/to-e-from-the-airport/?IDFolder=977&LN=UK. 2 July 2014. dead.
  19. Web site: Linea Aerobus: Aeroporto - Stazione Centrale.
  20. Web site: Il giorno del People Mover: oggi la prima corsa Stazione-Aeroporto. BolognaToday.
  21. Web site: tper_Bo944_5.pdf.