SkyTeam - FCO: AZ and Skyteam at the terminal A

Skyteam to consolidate at Terminal A, currently allocated to domestic routes.

From October 30 2009

http://www.apcom.net/newseconomia/20090715_211401_3e7c970_66342.shtml

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alitalia-millemiglia/975523-fco-az-skyteam-get-terminal.html

mmm ... I guess it is the end for the AF lounge (that I very much prefer) and that we will have to use AZ facilities ?

No details on the plan, at this stage.

Actually, based on the press releases, it seems that the plan meets the needs of ADR, the airport authority.
ADR wants a business focus for each area of the airport and the launch of major projects, including new concourses and so - of course - new lounges.
No main works till October 30, so it seems that passengers should be able to walk between Terminal A and Terminal B - the 2 terminals that are now in the Schengen area - as usual.
Actually, it's not clear yet whether the consolidation will include all the Skyteam operations - disregarding O/D, or only the intra-Schengen Skyteam operations (leaving the extra-schengen to the TC).

They say that AZ and Skyteam will get the current domestic Terminal A.
As you can see here (http://www.google.it/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=it&geocode=&q=aeroporto&sll=41.797088,12.256579&sspn=0.010526,0.022724&ie=UTF8&radius=0.59&rq=1&ll=41.796752,12.257738&spn=0.010526,0.022724&t=h&z=16), there're 2 'arms' and an empty area.
The plan involves an additional building, in the empty area, then a seamless integration between Terminal B and Terminal A plus a TA expansion right of the current building, where there was the old AZ cargo facility (http://www.google.it/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=it&geocode=&q=aeroporto&sll=41.796384,12.25467&sspn=0.005263,0.011362&ie=UTF8&radius=0.29&rq=1&ll=41.794416,12.256848&spn=0.005263,0.011362&t=h&z=17) (which is already under demolition).
AZ and Skyteam will get these new facilities too.
So, the currently TA is just a temporary solution.

On the other side of the airport, the main work is the additional Terminal C concourse, that you can see here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-W2NFEVmQY) at 0:45, and a sort of AirTrain.

The so-called FCO2 is still an idea, rather than project.

mmm ... I guess it is the end for the AF lounge (that I very much prefer) and that we will have to use AZ facilities ?

There's no real AZ lounge in terminal A airside either, there's an "ATAhotel Executive Center" that provides the AZ and Priority Pass lounges in A and last time I was there offered no alcohol.

Yesterday, the CEO of AZ said (http://www.ilmessaggero.it/articolo.php?id=68911&sez=HOME_ECONOMIA) that TA will be allocated to AZ and AFKL as first step in September, then TA will get the long-haul later. He mentioned Delta too.
It's not clear what he said...
Perhaps he means that AZ/AF/KL Schengen flights will be consolidated at Terminal A immediately, then step by step all the Skyteam flights - whether Schengen or non Schengen - will operate at A.

Oh no!!!! Maybe this is a ploy to get people to prefer Malpensa...

TA is horrid - small, overcrowded, low ceilings, bad signage and the ATA lounge is the worst Alitalia lounge in existance (which really says a lot) - overvcrowded, feels like a corridor, only mineral water, orange juice and dry biscuits (like on short haul AZ flights), dodgy Internet - also no airline agents to help with flight queries - not that they do that well in LIN/MXP/VCE/Bpier, but at least they are there.

Although - I do admit that the check-in zone is nicer (although they need to re-instate the priority security lane which has been replaced by a special lane for Linate).

I suppose the real upside is that connections will be easier (having personally missed three flights in four years due to not running fast enough whilst transiting between "B" and "A")