Heavy-duty lorries are driving one in, one out through the border police barriers at Peretola. A hive of activity for a port of call that is currently grounded, the city’s international hub has embarked on what Roberto Naldi, CEO of Toscana Aeroporti, remarked as being
“probably the largest construction site at the moment in Tuscany”.
Tar permeates the air as journalists ride the airport bus, in a flashback to journeys past, to the edge of the 1,700-meter-long runway. Having closed for mainte- nance on February 1, the runway is being resurfaced with an enhanced asphalt that will vastly improve landing and takeoff at Florence Airport. The operation also extends to the safety area and horizontal markings, in compliance with the standards set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Advanced light-emitting diode lighting replaces the former halogen system, in addition to a monitoring system that will inform the control tower immediately even if just one light were to malfunction. The decision was made to carry out the maintenance to make good use of the winter downtime in air traffic.
“We have taken advantage of this timeframe caused by the pandemic, so that we won’t have to close the airport in the years to come,”
remarked Marco Carrai, president of Toscana Aeroporti.
“We are making a huge effort, so that we will be ready for the hoped-for resumption of air traffic in the spring and summer.”
“This work is a signal of a city that never stops,”
Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence, commented in a photo call in front of the resurfacing campaign.
“During the Covid emergency while international borders are closed and airports are experiencing minimal traffic, I want to congratulate Toscana Aeroporti on its decision to press ahead with the resurfacing of the runway, which will make Florence Airport more efficient.”
The newly paved runway has not been extended or repositioned, but the masterplan for the longer 2,400-metre strip is expected to be presented in May. It will take at least five more years for these plans to become reality. In the meantime, the current 40-day maintenance plan continues apace, working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing employment to more than 100 people. An Air France flight from Paris is scheduled to be the first flight to touch down on the fresh tarmac when the airport reopens on April 2.
Check before you fly. For updated information about traveling to Italy from abroad, see the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs website.
