Malpensa Is Renamed for Berlusconi, and a Port City Reads the Sign

Milan's Malpensa airport was officially renamed for Silvio Berlusconi in a ceremony on Friday, The Local Italy reported, a change that drew criticism from local and national politicians. The airport is the principal long-haul gateway for Lombardy and, by road and rail, for the port and coast of Liguria.

The naming honours the former prime minister and billionaire, who died in 2023. According to The Local Italy, the decision was contested rather than ceremonial, with objections raised at both local and national level.

For Genoa the question is not the name on the terminal but what the terminal does. Malpensa handles the passengers and air freight that Liguria's own airport at Sestri cannot, and the road and rail links between the two are the same ones the port depends on.