(Miami-Dade County, FL) -- Miami International Airport (MIA) welcomed the inaugural flight of Alitalia’s new Milan-Miami non-stop service on Thursday, June 3, with a special ceremony that included a water cannon salute by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Alitalia commenced three times weekly service from Milan to MIA, which is in addition to the airline's current daily non-stop service from Rome to Miami. The flight will operate Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays with Boeing B767-400 aircraft.

The inaugural ceremony also included a ribbon-cutting by Miami-Dade Aviation Director José Abreu (left) and the Honorable Marco Rocca, Consul General of Italy in Miami, and cake served by Alitalia to passengers boarding the first flight to Milan.