Italian island plans to rename airport to honour Armani

The small Italian island of Pantelleria is planning to rename its airport in honour of the late fashion designer Giorgio Armani who often spent his summer holiday at his estate there.

Armani, who died earlier this month aged 91, had an extensive property on the island - which lies between Sicily and Tunisia in the Mediterranean - and would use it as retreat with family and friends when he took a rare break from work during the month of August.

His home there was made up of seven "dammusi," traditional rural buildings built from white lava stone with a domed roof, and surrounded by more than 150 palm trees.

Italian civil aviation group ENAC said on Wednesday that it backed the proposal to change the name, which came from the local council and also has the blessing of Transport Minister Matteo Salvini.

ENAC president Pierluigi Di Palma said the renaming fitted in with its plans to improve the airport and promote tourism to the island which can be reached via flights from Rome or Sicilian airports including Palermo.