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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Vatican flight service launches | Vatican flight service launches |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A senior Vatican cardinal will inaugurate a low-cost charter flight service which aims to transport Catholic pilgrims to holy sites. | A senior Vatican cardinal will inaugurate a low-cost charter flight service which aims to transport Catholic pilgrims to holy sites. |
| The first flight from Rome to Lourdes in France will depart at 1130 (0930 GMT) using a small charter airline owned by the Italian post office. | |
| The airline expects to transport around 150,000 pilgrims in its first year. | The airline expects to transport around 150,000 pilgrims in its first year. |
| Flights will initially go to Catholic shrines in France, Poland, Spain as well as the Middle East. | Flights will initially go to Catholic shrines in France, Poland, Spain as well as the Middle East. |
| There are plans to include Mexico in the schedule later on. | There are plans to include Mexico in the schedule later on. |
| Business booming | Business booming |
| The Vatican has signed a five-year agreement through its local travel organisation which organises pilgrimages for the Diocese of Rome. | The Vatican has signed a five-year agreement through its local travel organisation which organises pilgrimages for the Diocese of Rome. |
| The charter airline, called Mistral Air, normally carries courier cargo, letters and parcels for the Italian post office. | The charter airline, called Mistral Air, normally carries courier cargo, letters and parcels for the Italian post office. |
| Low cost airlines are doing good business in Italy. Last year the number of passengers they transported increased by 20%. | Low cost airlines are doing good business in Italy. Last year the number of passengers they transported increased by 20%. |
| The Vatican itself has no airline and no airport, just a helipad used by the Pope for local journeys with the Italian air force providing helicopter transport. | The Vatican itself has no airline and no airport, just a helipad used by the Pope for local journeys with the Italian air force providing helicopter transport. |
| But Mistral Air's two charter jets are already painted in the Vatican colours of yellow and white. Moreover, interiors are decorated with sacred inscriptions such as: "I search for your face, Lord." | But Mistral Air's two charter jets are already painted in the Vatican colours of yellow and white. Moreover, interiors are decorated with sacred inscriptions such as: "I search for your face, Lord." |