Italian Airports Are Fighting The Pandemic With An Unprecedented Crisis

Italian Airports Are Fighting The Pandemic With An Unprecedented Crisis

Italian airports are fighting the new coronavirus pandemic with an unprecedented crisis. The Assaeroporti industry association estimated the losses of Italian airports between € 1 billion and the end of September at € 1.5 billion. The union is therefore asking the government for aid of at least € 1 billion. "We will end without financial support from the state by the end of the year. Many small airports are at risk of closure. They are vital for the mobility of entire regions in Italy. There is a danger of isolation from large regions," warned Assaeroporti chief Fabrizio Palenzona in an interview with the Roman daily La Repubblica. The union is asking the Italian government to set up a fund to compensate for the damage caused to the airport operators by the corona crisis. Assistance for airport staff is also important. Thousands of jobs are at risk. Italian airports employ around 150,000 people. From March to September, Italian airports lost 83% of passengers, 68% of flights and 33% of cargo. The airports expect a 70% drop in passengers to 58 million by the end of the year.