Local television crews pushed through the crowd of arriving passengers, looking for people to interview. The president of the region, with other leaders in tow, staged an impromptu press conference (and photo op) on the tarmac — with the tail of a Boeing 767 serving as the backdrop.
It's a scene that might sound like a paparazzi situation or a political rally. But, it was neither. Instead, the excitement on Saturday centered on United Airlines' first-ever arrival at Bari International Airport-Karol Wojtyla (BRI) in southeastern Italy — the end point of its inaugural flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
