CATANIA (ITALPRESS) – 11 May 1924. A date that marked the history of Catania Airport and which today, after 100 years, represents a historic stage for the economic development of the entire region. An important occasion that this morning SAC, the company that manages the airports of Catania and Comiso, celebrated together with local institutions, sector representatives, stakeholders and citizens.
The event opened with an institutional welcome by Maria Carmela Librizzi, Prefect of Catania, which was then followed by speeches by: Giovanna Candura, President of SAC, Enrico Trantino, Mayor of Catania, Pierluigi Di Palma, President of Enac , Hon. Gaetano Galvagno, President of Ars, Carlo Borgomeo, President of Assoaeroporti, Antonio Belcuore, Extraordinary Commissioner of the South East Sicily Chamber of Commerce, Fausto Palombelli, President of Assoclearance, of Giuseppe Giuffrida, Official of the Calabria-Sicily MIMIT Territorial Inspectorate and of Emanuele Di Francesco, Commander Sigonella Air Base. Nico Torrisi, SAC CEO, concluded the day.
The speakers’ interventions retraced the stages of the Airport in recent years, characterized by the Company’s commitment to guaranteeing safety and quality of travel for passengers. During the ceremony, the importance of the numerous synergies with state bodies and with the protagonists of the aviation and aeronautics sector was underlined, as well as the possibilities of developing an airport system, such as that of Catania and Comiso, which today it allows the connection between Sicily and the rest of the country. An increasingly consolidated connection thanks to new investments and infrastructures that SAC intends to carry forward in the Etna airport, such as the reconstruction of the Morandi Terminal (B). With the confirmation received from the services conference to proceed with the demolition of the terminal, a new chapter opens for Catania airport.
“This anniversary represents a great occasion which once again confirms our commitment to promoting the development and economic growth of Sicily. Our thanks go to all the institutions, partners and citizens who have contributed to the success of this airport over the years. We are determined to continue on this path and to implement innovations and new infrastructures to strengthen the role of Catania Airport as a strategic hub for Sicily. Just yesterday the bureaucratic process for the demolition of the Morandi Terminal ended and we already have the reconstruction project ready, the sign of a new phase for Catania Airport. The presentation of the commemorative stamp and the celebratory book underlines the importance of this shared history and inspires us to look to the future with confidence with the aim of strengthening the bond with the territory and guaranteeing increasingly efficient services”, declared Nico Torrisi, CEO SAC.
“The Fontanarossa airport is a real development engine for our Region. This centenary is an opportunity to celebrate the past, but it is also a stepping stone towards a future in which we will be even more connected to the world. The airport is also a fundamental point of reference for tourism, encouraging the arrival of visitors from all over the world and encouraging the development of the tourism sector, one of the pillars of the Sicilian economy”, declared Enrico Trantino, Mayor of Catania.
On the occasion of the centenary, SAC had a commemorative stamp created, a symbol that captures the technical and functional essence of the airport and evokes the emotions of travellers. But not only. To commemorate the beginning of civil flight activities at Catania Airport, SAC has created, together with the Maimone publishing house, “In flight from Catania. Over a century of history”, a book with contributions from historians, journalists and representatives of institutions and enriched by a large gallery of historical and contemporary photos. The volume, presented during the event, celebrates one hundred years of the airport by retracing the history of the infrastructure, the milestones of its development and the personalities who have visited it. A journey through the history of the airport which is intertwined with the growth of the city and all of Sicily.
Fontanarossa Airport is fundamental not only for Southern Italy, but for the entire Mediterranean basin. For this reason SAC is carrying out new projects and infrastructure interventions which in the coming years will make the airport an increasingly strategic hub also for routes coming from the great South East Asia.
“The celebration of 100 years of history of Catania Airport is a moment of deep reflection and gratitude, an opportunity to honor the past and look to the future. Our port has grown alongside Sicily, managing to adapt to the needs of a region that wants to be an increasingly protagonist, a strategic crossroads in the Mediterranean. Our challenge, as SAC, is to continue to work tirelessly to increase passenger services and to make the travel experience increasingly satisfying and comfortable. This anniversary marks an extraordinary milestone for an infrastructure that has played a fundamental role in the lives of generations of Sicilians and travelers from all over the world”, declared Giovanna Candura, President of SAC.
“In these first hundred years of history, Catania airport, which exceeded 10 million passengers in 2023, has been able to grow and enhance the mobility and territorial continuity of the Sicily Region, with national and international flights, creating places of work and encouraging tourism. This historic logistics base, favored by the process of privatization and liberalization of air transport, is already projected towards the future and prepared for a growing volume of traffic. Important infrastructural interventions, expansion of the airport and intermodal integration with the railway line, will in fact consolidate its vocation as a strategic hub in the heart of the Mediterranean”, commented the President of Enac, Pierluigi Di Palma.
– SAC press office photo –
(ITALPRESS).
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