Falcone Borsellino Airport

Palermo's airport opened in 1960 at Punta Raisi, on a narrow strip of coast about 35 kilometers west of the city. The site sits wedged between the sea and the steep sides of Monte Pecoraro. It was risky from the very start. The mountain creates severe turbulence and sudden wind shear at times. Aircraft flying in must line up carefully to avoid the high ground close by.

A 1972 crash into Montagna Longa during approach remains Italy's deadliest single aircraft accident. It led to more criticism and changes in procedures and navigation aids. In 1995, the airport was renamed Falcone Borsellino, honoring the anti-Mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who were both murdered in 1992. Falcone was killed by a bomb on the motorway between the airport and Palermo, a road still used today.

A monument marks the spot, and arriving passengers still pass it today. The airport grew steadily through the 2000s and 2010s, gaining a rebuilt terminal and a rail link to central Palermo. Low-cost airlines, especially Ryanair and Wizz Air, changed its traffic. Palermo now handles millions of passengers a year, second in Sicily only to Catania, driven by tourism and by islanders working on the Italian mainland.

Palermo's main runway, 07/25, runs along the coast, with a shorter cross runway, 02/20, that sees little use. The approach is well known among pilots for turbulence and shifting winds spilling off Monte Pecoraro, which rises directly behind the field. Go-arounds, meaning aborted landings that circle back to try again, are not unusual in strong northerly winds.

A single terminal handles both domestic and international traffic. Ryanair, Wizz Air, ITA Airways, and easyJet carry most passengers, mainly on routes to mainland Italy and the rest of Europe. A suburban rail service links the terminal to central Palermo, and traffic peaks hard every summer.