It's been a long time since I last saw...

Airport action, August 2025

...an Airbus A318! I even thought they were already retired. Here, very early in the morning at Lisbon Airport, tail number F-GUGQ,

Later, during our turnaround time at Fiumicino Airport, I captured a nice A330-200 of the nth iteration of Alitalia being towed away,

I kinda like this new livery, though!

Overflying the Strait of Bonifacio

Inflight, June 2025

On our way to Rome one first glimpse of Asinara Island,

and the Strait of Bonifacio that lies between the islands of Corse and Sardegna.

Blue skies in Fiumicino/Leonardo da Vinci airport:

Summertime is here!

Christmas in Rome

Rome, December 2023

This was one of my saddest Chrismas Eves ever, in 2013. Our flight to Rome with less than 30 pax onboard was seriously delayed due to a strike of the handling services and when we arrived way past midnight, one waiter was waiting alone to serve us dinner at the hotel. He was probably having an even sadder Christmas than us... And that made me sad too.

Next day, the 25th of December, in the afternoon, it was time to go back to my home base, Lisboa. I spotted this Alitalia A330 parked next to us in Fiumicino Airport, by the days when I was longing to have a promotion to the WB fleet.

 Today I'm longing to go back to the NB fleet and to the european flights...

Today at Fiumicino Airport

Fiumicino Airport, May 2012

Sunny day in Rome.

A321 D-AIRD  @ FCO

De volta a Fiumicino...

Fiumicino, February 2009

Back to Fiumicino...

... com um dos meus novos companheiros de viagem... CS-TTR "Soares dos Reis", um dos últimos A319 entregues à companhia.
... with one of the newest A319s in our fleet... CS-TTR named "Soares dos Reis".

O tempo é que desta vez já não estava tão bom...
The weather was not so nice this time...

In the blink of an eye: Rome

Rome, January 2009

Ciao Roma!

Não foi a minha primeira estadia em Roma mas foi a primeira vez que saí à cidade. Ao contrário das vezes anteriores, conseguimos juntar 3 elementos da tripulação (todos vindos de charters...) e aproveitar o transporte gratuito até ao centro da cidade apesar do tempo ser escasso para grandes roteiros. O tempo estava frio mas com um fantástico céu azul, a contrastar com o cinzento e a chuva de Lisboa.
This was not my first layover in Rome but it was the first time I went to the center of the city. This time I finally had company to do it. We took the free shuttle from the hotel to the center despite we didn't have much time for a big walk. The weather was cold but the sky was blue (in Lisbon it was grey and rainy).

Desde os tempos do Ciclo que as civilizações grega, romana e egípcia exercem em mim um certo fascínio. E apesar dos italianos serem ainda mais latinos do que nós (com todos os defeitos que tal característica comporta) adorei passear pelo meio de ruínas do antigo império romano que vão surgindo aqui e acolá. A primeira vez que estive em Roma, nem me lembro que idade tinha. Sobram apenas os registos fotográficos como este.
Since my school time, I always felt fascinated by the Greek and Roman civilizations. I loved walking through the ruins of the Ancient Rome that showed up almost each corner of the city blocks. The first time I was in Rome, I can't even remember how old I was. But I do have some funny pictures like this one.

O nosso primeiro ponto de visita acabou por ser, como seria natural, o Coliseu. Peço desculpa pela qualidade das fotografias seguintes, mas foram tiradas com o meu telemóvel e não com a máquina compacta que uso habitualmente.
Our first stop was obviously the Colosseum. I apologize for the low quality photos but they were taken with my cell phone and not with my usual compact camera.

Piazza Venezia...
Impressive Victor Emmanuele II monument...

O Panteão...
The Pantheon...

A cúpula do Panteão.
The dome with its opening.

E para terminar em beleza, a Fontana di Trevi já com o sol posto...
And the beautiful Fontana di Trevi, already after sunset...

Antes de regressarmos ao hotel, comprámos para o lanche uns paninos que traziam umas fatias de presunto divinais.

Às 19 locais apanhámos o transporte de volta ao hotel pois o despertar seria bem cedo às 4:05am (3:05 hora de Lisboa...). O trânsito a esta hora estava infernal levando a que a viagem de regresso demorasse cerca de 40 minutos. Mas foi um passeio bastante agradável na companhia de excelentes colegas!
Before we returned to the hotel, we bought each one a "panino di prosciutto" that were divine. At 7pm we took the shuttle back to the hotel because we would another early wake up at 4am (which is 3am in Lisbon). The traffic was awful at this hour so we took 40 minutes to reach the hotel. But this was a great afternoon with great company from my colleagues!

Os voos, esses... tranquilíssimos! E infelizmente com poucos pax.
And the flights... those were very, very calm! And unfortunately with few passengers, this time of the year.