Bologna Airport at a crossroads: "The new terminal will also feature shuttle buses."

Bologna, August 11, 2025 – At Bologna Airport , the sound of trolleys sliding across the tarmac provides the soundtrack to the incessant comings and goings of those entering and exiting the Marconi sliding doors . Thus, in the middle of August, the Bolognese airport becomes a crossroads of travelers' stories. But Marconi is not just passengers, but a universe of security personnel , stewards, and gatekeepers. Bees in a frenetic and ever-active hive, which year after year jostles to grow. From the roundabout outside the ring road to the Kiss & Fly area , where families say goodbye or reunite, while flying kisses are directed at those crossing the threshold with suitcases in hand and receiving a "bon voyage."

And so, once you cross the threshold, you enter a timeless world, where languages from around the world mingle in perfume and book shops. "As a Bolognese, I try to fly from here whenever I can, not only for convenience, but also for efficiency ," praises Matteo Bugallo, who traveled from Bologna to Zurich and then Thailand . "I've never encountered any major problems here, and the innovations they're making," he continues, "will improve the service. When I'm not traveling, but accompanying friends on their way, I particularly appreciate Kiss&Fly."

"We're flying from Florence," says Eleonora Baroni , "and our destination is Mykonos. It's not the first time we've departed from Marconi, and I recently learned about the new option to carry liquids larger than 100 milliliters in your carry-on luggage: it's an added convenience." Amidst the smiles, however, there are also some grumbles: "I didn't want to check my carry-on luggage in the hold for fear of it getting lost and, above all, because I didn't want to wait too long once we landed," says a young woman, "and instead I wasted time needlessly."

Enrico Postacchini, president of Bologna Airport, says Marconi wants to take off, but investments are needed to make it happen. What is the current status of the plan to expand the Bologna airport?

We're reaping the first fruits. We've already made a significant effort, because the airport deserves it. Last summer, the main problems at Marconi were due largely to the lack of parking spaces. This wound has now been partially healed with the addition of 1,100 additional spaces in the new parking lot, in addition to the existing ones. But above all, there's the renovated security checkpoint area, which has led to significant improvements in efficiency and reduced queues: all eight entrances are now operational with new X-ray machines. And we're among the five Italian airports that allow liquids exceeding 100 ml in carry-on luggage.

From a logistical and spatial perspective, what revolutions are on the horizon?

Once the current terminal has been expanded and optimized, a new one will be built adjacent to the existing one. We're talking about an additional thirty thousand square meters of space on two floors, a considerable amount of space. And it will be in these spaces that the famous fingers (the covered walkways that allow travelers to board planes directly from the gate, without using shuttles, ed.) will be located.

The jetties will be a new addition to the airport. How long will we have to wait?

"We're aiming for 2028. They'll be part of the new pier, the final stage of this major investment program that, as part of the master plan, will end in 2030. This doesn't mean, of course, that we won't continue to invest as an airport beyond that date. Our intention is to always look ahead, until 2046."

How many fingers will there be?

We're considering a number somewhere between four and six, but if necessary, we could increase it, depending on the needs. We know they're highly sought after by passengers. However, I'd like to point out that jetties cost airlines money and are more common among scheduled airlines than low-cost carriers.

Are there any ongoing construction sites that could transform the airport in the short term?

Construction is underway at the first gates to expand the available space here as well. These projects will be completed by the end of 2025. Work on the multi-story parking lot will also be completed in 2026, with the second half of the parking lot becoming available next year. And, to give you some more examples, cameras will also be installed in 2026 to monitor illegal parking and loitering in the roundabout. These technologies have been in the warehouse for some time, and we're just waiting to finalize the final bureaucratic details before installing them, because the fines will be collected by the Municipality anyway. New businesses and refreshment points will also be planned within the airport. Some are already open.

Coming back to day-to-day work, how is managing tourist flows this summer going?

Marconi Airport continues to operate at full capacity and with great ease, despite significant traffic volumes: in July, we recorded over a million passengers. Bologna Airport is not saturated and is addressing critical issues through ongoing work. Finally, a significant difference has been made with the transition from a facilitated to a coordinated airport. Flights are still the same, but they are better spaced throughout the day, so there is less congestion. No airline has cancelled flights to Bologna despite being asked to change their time slots, and this is an excellent sign.