Rome Fiumicino Airport celebrates 65 years of history
The "Leonardo da Vinci" airport of Fiumicino today celebrated the 65th anniversary of its inauguration, which took place on August 20, 1960, in the presence of the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
Since its opening, in the midst of the economic boom, the Roman airport has accompanied the development of the country, becoming over time the main gateway of Italy to the world and, in recent years, the best airport in Europe and among the first in the world, a reference point for the quality of passenger services and innovation.
The ceremony, organized by Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) - a company of the Mundys Group, which also manages the "G.B. Pastine" airport in Ciampino - retraced the main stages in the history of Leonardo da Vinci, now close to exceeding 50 million passengers per year, a record milestone that marks a new phase of expansion.
With almost 50 million passengers, 230 destinations in 80 countries and a strong commitment to digital transformation and environmental responsibility, FCO stands as a leading gateway Italy, a strategic hub and a value multiplier for the entire tourism ecosystem.
The event opened with the Head of State's visit to the Innovation Hub in Terminal 1, the first startup accelerator in a European airport. The beating heart of ADR's innovation strategy, the hub hosts young companies such as Whill, Assaia, Proteso and Ailytics, already operating in the airport. The representatives of the startups presented their projects to the President of the Republic, flanked by members of the Innovation Cabin Crew, the ADR team dedicated to the development of new business ideas.
The presentation was attended, among others, by Alessandro Benetton (President of Edizione and Vice President of Mundys), Enrico Laghi (CEO of Edizione), Giampiero Massolo (President of Mundys), Andrea Mangoni (CEO), Vincenzo Nunziata (President of ADR), Marco Troncone (CEO) and Pierluigi Di Palma (President of ENAC).
The experience of the Innovation Hub represents a model of sustainable and participatory development, based on investments in technology and human capital. It is this approach that has allowed ADR to obtain the recognition of "Best Airport in Europe" by Airports Council International (ACI) World for eight consecutive years, a record that confirms the international leadership of the Roman airport.
In his speech, Alessandro Benetton underlined how Leonardo da Vinci is today "a laboratory of innovation and sustainability, a symbol of collaboration between the public and private sectors and the result of an investment of over 3 billion euros in the last ten years". He then expressed gratitude to the President of the Republic for his presence and for the attention paid to the young entrepreneurs of the Innovation Hub.
The ceremony, hosted at Terminal 5 (recently renovated and now also used for special events) opened with the performance of the National Anthem by the artist Chiara Civello. This was followed by greetings from the Mayor of Fiumicino, Mario Baccini, who recalled the central role of the airport in the economic and social growth of the territory: "For us citizens of Fiumicino, the airport is not only a place of transit, but an integral part of our identity".
Troncone also illustrated the contents of the 9 billion euro Sustainable Development Plan, entirely self-financed, presented in 2021 to ENAC: a project that provides for a reorganization of the slope system, with the shift of the center of gravity of operations to the East and the creation of a new, large Park of archaeological interest accessible to citizens, helping to significantly reduce the noise impact on inhabited areas.
The celebration was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Edoardo Rixi, the President of the Lazio Region Francesco Rocca and the Prefect of Rome Lamberto Giannini.
During the event, the President of the Republic participated in the unveiling of the work "Airport" by Camilla Gurgone, composed of two aluminum panels that symbolize the encounter between humanity and technology, and admired the installation "Leonardo, illuminated man" by Marco Lodola, a tribute to the Italian genius and ingenuity to which the airport is dedicated.
In closing, Aeroporti di Roma presented the Head of State with a commemorative silver medal, created by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, inspired by the original 1960 drawing by the sculptor Assen Peikov, author of the historic statue of Leonardo that welcomes passengers in Italy's main airport.
Since 1960, Rome Fiumicino Airport has evolved far beyond the concept of a traditional airport, becoming a living ecosystem that connects people, cultures and economies, while driving growth aimed at sustainability.
