Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport

Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (Italian: Aeroporto di Bologna-Guglielmo Marconi) (IATA: BLQ, ICAO: LIPE) is an international airport serving the city of Bologna in Italy. It is approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of the city centre in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The airport is named after Bologna native Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian electrical engineer and Nobel laureate.
== History ==
The original Bologna airport was opened in 1933 some 500 metres to the west of the present building. This airport was used until the 1970s, by which time it had become impractically small for passenger numbers and was replaced by the present airport.
In June 2005, Eurofly began a nonstop flight from Bologna to New York City. It operated the route on a seasonal basis with Airbus A330s. The link lasted until 2008. In June 2019, American Airlines introduced seasonal service to Philadelphia on a Boeing 767. Given Bologna's proximity to Tuscany, the company anticipated that tourists bound for the region would take the flight. However, it had difficulty attracting them and discontinued the route in September 2019.
== Facilities ==
=== Terminal ===
There is one terminal, which underwent an expansion during 2011–2013. It now has a total area of 36,100 m2 (389,000 sq ft), of which 5,500 m2 (59,000 sq ft) is shopping areas.[citation needed] A new baggage handling system was installed and there are now 24 departure gates, all are bus gates since there are not yet any jetways at the airport.
=== Runway ===
Bologna airport has one runway, 12/30, made of asphalt; its dimensions are 2,800 by 45 metres (9,186 by 148 ft).
== Airlines and destinations ==
The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Bologna Airport:
Airlines 	Destinations
British Airways	London–Heathrow
easyJet 	London–Gatwick, Manchester (To be announced)
ITA Airways 	Rome–Fiumicino
== Ground transportation ==
=== By monorail ===
The airport is about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from Bologna Centrale railway station. Opened in 2020, the Marconi Express monorail connects the airport to Bologna Centrale railway station with a travel time of approximately 7.5 minutes.
Soon after its inauguration, the service started suffering significant disruptions, culminating with its suspension between November 2021 and February 2022, with surreptitious substitution via normal buses, despite oblivious customers paying the full fare for a service they never received. As of February 2022, the issues persists, and normal buses are still integrating the service.
=== By car ===
Motorways:
* A1 from Milan
* A13 from Padova
* A14 from Ancona
=== By bus ===
A shuttle bus service, route Aerobus (BLQ), used to run between the station and the airport before the advent of Marconi Express. In case of events at the Bologna Fiere trade fair venue, BLQ operated a direct connection between the Airport and the bus terminus Fiera Viale Aldo Moro. Route BLQ has been withdrawn as of 18 November 2020, with the introduction of the Marconi Express
The only TPER bus connections available to and from the airport are routes 54, between the Airport and Borgo Panigale; and 944, between the Airport and the Maggiore Hospital, calling at Via della Birra, Via del Triumvirato, Pontelungo, and Santa Viola. Route 944 is extended to Bologna Centrale railway station in its last two departures at 00.15 and 00.45, while its first two departures from the railway station are at 5.20 and 5.30; due to the people mover being yet to begin service.
From the nearby Via della Birra and Via del Triumvirato, it is possible to board suburban routes (also operated by TPER), 81, 81A, 91 and 91A to Longara, Padulle, Bagno di Piano and Calderara di Reno.
The airport has daily direct bus connections with Ferrara, Florence, Modena, Cervia, Ravenna, and Rimini, and three times a week with Ascoli Piceno.
=== By train ===
The nearest railway station is Calderara-Bargellino railway station, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the airport. However, there is no public transport connection between the two. Passengers coming by rail are expected to change for the Monorail at Bologna Central Station.
== References ==
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# ^ ^ Aeroporto di Bologna,sez. cenni storici, su italiarimborso.it. URL accessed 14 June 2022.
# ^ La storia dell'aeroporto, su volabologna.it. URL accessed 14 June 2022.
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