Here the new Malpensa ready for EXPO

Ten days before the start of the exhibition, the intercontinental airport of Malpensa is ready.

After the important restyling which revolutionized its aspect and  functionality, this morning has been celebrated the ribbon cutting ceremony in the presence of the Minister of Transport, Graziano Delrio and the president of Lombardy, Roberto Maroni, with brief moments of show in order to break up the official speeches.

The works started on November 2013, and signed by the architect Gregorio Caccia Dominioni, involved an 18,000 square meters’ area of Terminal 1, from the arrival area to check-in area, passing through the approach area of the airport from the railway station.

A project that costed an investment of 30 million euro to give the airport a new impetus, which represents the gateway to Expo.

The new Milan Malpensa is a cutting edge structure which has been realized with steel and glass, with Candoglia marble floors, the same marble which was used for the realization of Milan Cathedral, with exterior covering of zinc-titanium. Terminal 1 has an overall surface area of 350,000 square meters , 90 boarding gates and up to 270 check-in desks , 41 loading bridges and as an absolute innovation for Italian airports, it can accommodates 2 airbus A380 at the same time, boarding the passengers through 3 loading bridges.

New security checks are operative for some days now, which have been relocated at check-in area with 21 working positions, 5 more than the old planning.

The flagship of new Malpensa is the renovated commercial gallery of 13,000 square meters and 46 new commercial areas, among them, a duty free of about 2,500 square meters, one of the biggest in Europe. The total offering of departures is 23,000 square meters with approximately 100 business, like restaurants, bars and stores.

The restyling also concerns the arrival area of Extra Schengen, where new passport checks have been realized, with 15 workspaces, 7 more than the previous 8; among them there are also 3 workspaces eGates for the computerized passport check. The eGates project is realized with the Ministry of the Interior and during the experimental stage, has been financed by European Community and now set up in Malpensa.

The system uses ABC technology and has been ideated in order to facilitate a substantial reduction of the lines at immigration checks.

Finally, also the baggage reclaim area has been totally renovated and has 5 new conveyor belts, and one, which is 150 meters long, is dedicated to the passengers of the A380. Also the arrival area B has a restyling and is now wider, brighter and provided with a crystal balcony for the waiting of passengers.