Rome Ciampino Airport
IATA: CIA – ICAO: LIRA
Summary
Airport type		Military/Public
Operator		Aeroporti di Roma SpA
Serves		Rome
Location		Ciampino
Elevation AMSL		427 ft / 130 m
Coordinates		41°47′58″N 012°35′50″E / 41.79944°N 12.59722°E / 41.79944; 12.59722 (Rome Ciampino Airport)Coordinates: 41°47′58″N 012°35′50″E / 41.79944°N 12.59722°E / 41.79944; 12.59722 (Rome Ciampino Airport)
Website		www.adr.it
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
15/33	2,208	7,244	Bitumen
Source: Italian AIP at EUROCONTROL

Rome Ciampino Airport (Italian: Aeroporto di Roma-Ciampino or Giovan Battista Pastine Airport) (IATA: CIA, ICAO: LIRA) is a joint civilian, commercial and military airport near Rome in Italy. The airport is situated 6.5 NM (12.0 km; 7.5 mi) south southeast of central Rome, just outside the Greater Ring Road (Italian: Grande Raccordo Anulare or GRA) the circular motorway around the city.

Ciampino Airport was opened in 1916 and is one of the oldest airports still in operation. It was Rome's main airport until 1960, with traffic amounting to over 2 million passengers per year. Since the opening of Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, Ciampino has been handling almost exclusively charter and executive flights.

After decades of stagnation in scheduled traffic, low-cost carriers have boosted Ciampino; it is now one of the busiest and fastest growing airports in Italy. Passenger traffic in 2007 was 5,402,000 (9,24% up from 2006; 2006 itself had seen an increase of 16,75% compared to 2005). Traffic has grown so much that noise complaints are now forcing the Italian Ministry of Transport to look for a third airport for Rome, which could take over some part of the excess traffic of Ciampino. Passenger traffic in 2008 was 4,788,931 with a decrease of 11,31% compared to 2007.

In November 2007, it was decided that Rome Viterbo Airport will become Rome's third commercial airport.

The terminals were extended at the beginning of 2007.

Access

Location of Ciampino Airport. Rome is to the northwest.

There is no rail transport at Ciampino Airport. There are direct bus connections both to Roma Termini railway station and to close local stations (either metro or regular train). From the local stations there are train services to Termini and other destinations.

• COTRAL/Schiaffini operates buses from outside the terminal building to Anagnina metro station. A metro to Roma Termini takes about half an hour.

• Regular buses go to the Ciampino local train station, from which a train can be taken to Roma Termini. Travel time is at least 15 minutes.

• Bus operators Terravision ltd, Schiaffini and BusShuttle run a direct services to Roma Termini, travel time is about 40 minutes.

• The fixed fare for a taxi ride to the city centre (inside the Aurelian Walls) is €30. This fixed fare is inclusive of up to four passengers AND luggage.

• Car rental is available at the airport.

World War II

During World War II, the airport was captured by Allied forces in June 1944, and afterward became a United States Army Air Forces military airfield. Although primarily used as a transport base by C-47 Skytrain aircraft of the 64th Troop Carrier Group, the Twelfth Air Force 86th Bombardment Group flew A-36 Apache combat aircraft from the airport during the immediate period after its capture from German forces.

When the combat units moved out, Air Transport Command used the airport as a major transshipment hub for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel for the remainder of the war.

Accidents and incidents

• On 10 January 1954, BOAC Flight 781, a De Havilland Comet, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ciampino Airport, en route to London Heathrow Airport. There were no survivors.

• On 8 April 1954, South African Airways Flight 201, another Comet, crashed not far from Ponza. Both crashes were attributed to manufacturing defects in the Comet.

• On 21 December 1959, Vickers Viscount I-LIZT of Alitalia crashed short of the runway on a training flight exercise in landing with two engines inoperative. Both people on board were killed.

• On 10 November 2008, Ryanair Flight 4102 from Hahn suffered damage during landing. The cause of the accident was stated to be birdstrikes affecting both engines. The port undercarriage of the Boeing 737-8AS collapsed. The aircraft involved was Boeing 737-8AS EI-DYG. There were 6 crew and 166 passengers on board. The airport was closed for over 24 hours as a result of the accident. Two crew and eight passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries. As well as damage to the engines and undercarriage, the rear fuselage was also damaged by contact with the runway.

Airlines and destinations

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2010.
We don't guarantee the information is fresh and accurate. The data may be wrong or outdated.
For more up-to-date information please refer to other sources.