DALLAS – More connections between Texas and Italy: the first direct American Airlines flight 130 departing from Dallas/Ft Worth (DFW) airport has arrived in Venice. At the inauguration, Jim Moses (Senior VP American Airlines DFW Airport Operation) highlighted that the airline has strengthened connections with new routes, especially to Europe, and that the partnership with the management of DFW airport is fundamental: 88 million passengers passed through there in 2024.

The executive vice president of DFW airport, Ken Buchanan, in turn confirmed the importance of the partnership with American Airlines and the expansion of the airport which has reached record numbers of passengers, among the highest in the United States and in the world.

The Consul General of Italy in Houston, Mauro Lorenzini, said he appreciates the investments and the growing interest by American Airlines and DFW airport for the Belpaese: it allows an intensification of tourism to Italy which in 2025 compared to 2024 increased by almost 11% thanks to other direct connections already in place.

The Representative of the General Council of Italians Abroad, Vincenzo Arcobelli, thanked the person in charge of the inaugural event Jennifer Acevedo for the excellent work done, her collaborators, the commander and the crew members of flight 130 to Venice, as well as the ground staff. Arcobelli praised the company’s management for having had, eight years after the first flight from Texas to Rome, the vision to add other direct flights to Italy from the largest hub of American Airlines. Then, he mentioned the presence of the delegation, composed of the honorary consul of Italy in Dallas, Richard Gussoni, the representative of the Comites, Antonio Iocchi, and the president of the Sicilian American Association in Texas, Jay Lombardo, in addition to compatriots Angela Dimaio and Massimo Mancini, managers of the American company.

“The new direct flight – Arcobelli then said – is very significant, it represents an opportunity to improve accessibility, promote tourism and strengthen economic ties between Italy and the United States, offering passengers greater comfort and a quality travel experience, and it brings Italy closer and closer from all points of view to Texas and vice versa. The Italian-American community appreciates and is certainly grateful for this new direct flight”.

Finally, the Bishop of the Diocese of Dallas, Edward Burns, with a touching speech, gave the blessing to the flight to Venice to the crew and to all the participants in the last event. The ceremony ended with the cutting of the inaugural ribbon (in the pic below) and the famous Puccini aria “Nessun dorma” sung by a gondolier.

In the photo above, from left: Jim Moses, Antonio Iocchi, Jay Lombardo, Massimo Mancini, Rich Ashlyn, Bishop Burns, Mauro Lorenzini, Vincenzo Arcobelli, Jennifer Acevedo, Richard Gussoni, Angela Di Maio and the gondolier; in the pic at the top of the article: Bishop Edward Burns, Richard Gussoni, Mauro Lorenzini, Vincenzo Arcobelli, Jay Lombardo, Antonio Iocchi