Forli Airport Departures (FRL)

Forli Airport is a small Italian airport found in the northern Emilia-Romagna region of the country, and is approximately four kilometres from the city centre of Forli. It is also commonly referred to as the Luigi Ridolfi Airport, after a famous Italian aviator, and has been allocated the official airport code of FRL. The airport is managed by the company of SEAF and is open for departures up to twenty-four hours a day. Forli Airport departures are offered by a few airline companies and to a handful of destinations. Currently, approximately only 350,000 passengers pass through the airport’s terminal every year, however, passenger traffic has been higher in previous years.

Forli Airport is found very nearby to the areas of Ronco, Carpena and Villa Selva, and a kilometre or two away from Forlimpopoli. The town of Cesena is also nearby to the airport. Departing passengers can travel in their own vehicle to Forli Airport, as main roads provide access from all the towns and cities in the area, and there is adequate parking available on the airport grounds. The two main roads used for airport access are the A14 and the SS9, or the Via Emilia. They both run parallel to each other past Forli, but the Via Emilia takes motorists through the centres of the towns, while the A14 passes to the north of most towns along the Via Emilia. From Forli, the airport is just a fifteen to twenty minute drive, and from Bologna, Ravenna and Rimini the airport can be accessed in under an hour’s drive. Forli and it’s airport is located quite nearby to many popular coastal areas of Italy, such as Ancona, Fano, Pesaro, Riccione and Rimini. It is therefore often used as a gateway to these areas. To the south-west of Forli Airport is the large city of Florence and south of the airport is Perugia.

Passengers on Forli Airport departure flights can also travel by bus or taxi to the airport, however, the bus services are somewhat limited, as it is only a small airport. The main bus service takes departing passengers from the Forli Train Station to the airport, while a minibus service can be booked for up to eight passengers from Cervia and Cesenatico. There may also be buses available from Bologna, if not to the airport directly, but to the train station for connections to the airport, and in summer, more buses are available from certain nearby areas. By taxi is a good way to reach Forli Airport, and only costs eleven Euro from the train station, or a little more from other areas of Forli. Taxis can be taken from any other town nearby as well. There is no train station at the airport, therefore departing passengers arriving in Forli by rail services must rely on the airport bus to reach the airport.

Forli Airport consists of a passenger terminal of adequate size. It has two levels – the ground floor is for arrivals and the upper level has facilities for departing passengers. The departure level is approximately 430 square metres in size, while the ground floor is about 5,880 square metres. The Forli Airport departure area has two boarding areas with eight gates. There is also a check-in area with eleven counters. Once passengers have arrived at the airport, they can check-in at the appropriate counter to receive their boarding pass and hand over any hold luggage that will need transport, and can then pass through the security control checks to enter the secure boarding lounge. Security at Forli Airport is similar to most other Italian airports. Passengers will need to place any metal items and other gadgets onto the tray for x-raying, and will pass through a metal-detector. In most cases the airport is very efficient, but always practice patience with the airport security procedures, as they are in place for your own safety.

Forli Airport facilities include three bars/cafés, a few shops including a duty-free store, cash machines, access to internet points, first-aid facilities, a ticket office and public telephones. Information desks are also available, as well as various facilities for the assistance of passengers with reduced mobility challenges. The opening hours of the ticket office are as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 09:30 to 21:00, and on Wednesdays and Sundays from 09:30 to 22:30. The ticket desk can also be contacted at +39 0543 474921. The terminal is completely accessible to disabled persons, and there is a dedicated area at the entrance of the departure hall where passengers can wait for the assistance of care professionals or their families. There are reserved parking spaces located as nearby to the terminal entrance as possible and elevators provide access to the upper departure area. An intercom system is also available at the entrance of the departure hall, from where passengers can call for additional assistance with departure proceedings. Further facilities include suitable toilets and equipment (ambulift) for boarding the aircraft.

In general, passengers should arrive at the airport at least an hour before their flight from Forli Airport, but those who require additional assistance, are travelling with young children or have minors who will be travelling alone should arrive earlier. Forli Airport departure flights are offered by the airline companies of Wizz Air and Belle Air, and some of their destinations include Pristina, Tirana, Bucharest-Bäneasa, Budapest, Cluj-Napoca, Katowice, Sofia, Timisoara and Warsaw-Modlin. Ryanair used to fly to Forli Airport from London airports such as Stansted, but now only operates from the larger Bologna Airport, however, Wizz Air is successful at Forli Airport, and will be increasing their flight frequencies to Bucharest and Timisoara in 2012. The airline company carries around ten million passengers per annum, and owns a fleet of thirty-five Airbus A320 aircraft.

Passengers departing from Forli Airport should check their airline ticket for the luggage requirements set by their airline company, or contact the company for further enquiries. Excess baggage fees can be quite expensive at times. Online check-in services may also be available, or there may be other possibilities for self check-in at the airport. Keep in mind the new regulations surrounding liquids in hand luggage will be applicable. Live Forli Airport departure flights can be viewed online, and should any information be required, the airport can be contacted at +39 0543 474990.