The battle for the « Maxi » Rome Fiumicino airport: the fourth track, roads, green areas, what the plan provides and why it does not start

With almost 50 million passengers in 2024 and prizes on the quality of the service, the Rome Fiumicino airport has become a model to imitate over the years. But behind the scenes there is a little agitation for an expansion plan – which provides for a fourth track – that does not get a go -ahead considered urgent. Not only because last year the plant suffered when he had peaks of 175 thousand people a day and will touch 200 thousand in 2025. But also because he risks not supporting one of the largest strategic projects in the country: the development of Ita Airways in Traction Lufthansa.

The dossier

Technically, the enlargement dossier is managed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. « Politically » Faldone is at Palazzo Chigiexplain to Courier Five sources aware of the discussions (all asked for anonymity because they are not authorized to talk about it publicly). And from there he does not move. Not even after the meeting – in April 2024 – between Giampiero Massolo, president of Mundys (Holding who controls the Airports Management Company of Rome) and Giovanbattista Fazzolari, Undersecretary for the Prime Minister.

The project

The Masterplan of ADR – different from the one previously delivered —Presentated to the National Authority for Civil Aviation (ENAC) aims to create a structure capable of welcoming 100 million passengers per year. The project was revised and tries to minimize soil consumption. The expansion is about 260 hectaresof which 151 in a reserve even if much would be returned or compensated, including 85 hectares of park. The fourth track It would be built inside the « Sedime », parallel to track 3 (already existing), further away from the houses. While track 1 would be shortened by 400 meters and used only in some peak bands, if there were real necessity.

The external roads

To these would be added the interventions outside the infrastructure. With a delicate theme, which is that of doubling of the road artery that connects with Rome. Works that Anas should be occupied in theory-explain the sources-, but Adr would have been available to instruct them, for a cost of 250 million euros, which would be added to the 4.5-5 billion expected for the airport expansion.

The urgency of the works

« The green light? It would have been better to have it already yesterday, tomorrow risks being late, « says a source. « Only the realization of the fourth track will take three years. » The timing are not quick. The process, after the institutional go-ahead, provides for the technical clearance of ENAC, the process of « environmental impact assessment », the service conference: 18-24 months overall. Then the urban compliance will be needed for expropriation and the start of the works.

Positions

Not everyone agrees on expansion. A local committee is said to be against it and is ready to battle. « But the expansion is inevitable», Replied to Courier In December Marco Troncone, CEO of Adr. « We risk arriving late and having periods of suffering. » « In Fiumicino we reached a certain saturation, » Joerg Eberhart, CEO of Ita, said in recent days. « Politics wakes up and makes the development plan approved immediately, » added Gianni Letta, a former state undersecretary of the Council of the Council, at ENAC-Luiss event.

The scenarios

Some internal documents warn that after a few suffering in 2024, in 2025 and 2026 the situation will not improve. « The capacity of the terminal under stress on peak days » in the next summer season, reads. Board gates will be used to the maximum in a few days. In 2026 there will be the release of the pier D with 14 « doors », but it will not be enough. Stop the 40 squares for double corridor planes, the largest. It will not go better on the slopes front with bands of « suffering » 7-10 and 19-21. Out of 90 times times (between departures and arrivals), a couple would remain free. Nothing.

The expected volumes

This year there are 53.5 million passengers. The airport can manage up to 60-62 million. That's why 2027-2028 risk being criticalwith Ita – which has its hub in Fiumicino – which could struggle to guarantee the « nutrition » system of its intercontinental flights. In 2029-2030, according to the scenarios, the system may not be able to honor the potential travel demand « in full or effectively ».

What happens abroad

All this while the competition moves. The airport of Istanbul – Already one of the mega Hub worldwide – will expand further. Dubai And Doha they already drain a lot of traffic and soon it will arrive Riyadh, With Saudi Arabia decided to invest billions of dollars also in the launch of a new flag carrier, Riyadh Air. Lisbon You will equip a new plant that has already obtained the green light. Not to mention the United Kingdom where the English government has recently given the ok toLondon expansion Heathrow and Gatwick.