New state Airbus arrives at Fiumicino

(ANSA) - Fiumicino, February 2 - A new Airbus arrived at Fiumicino airport from Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Tuesday morning to join Italy's official State fleet.
    The craft, a 340-500 model leased from Alitalia Emirates-based partner Etihad, will be used to transport the prime minister, president and other top authorities on official long-haul visits.
    The main body section is white and carries the words Repubblica Italiana, while the tail is painted with the colours of the Italian flag. The plane will be kept in a hangar managed by Alitalia, which will be responsible for security and maintenance. The crew will consist of Italian airforce pilots who have been trained to fly the plane. The new craft replaces the old Airbus A319 Corporate Jet (CJ), which had to stop for refuelling during long-haul flights.