Milan’s main international airport, Malpensa, to the northwest of the city, is set to get a dedicated business aviation facility in June 2019, according to SEA Prime, the subsidiary of the Milan airports operator that already runs the Milan Linate Prime FBO.
According to Chiara Dorigotti, general manager of SEA Prime S.p.A. (Booth 4079), Milan Malpensa Prime is currently being built and will be a 1,400-sq-m/15,000-sq-ft facility “located between Terminals 1 and Terminal 2.” She noted, “We already have GA traffic there but currently GA passengers have to go to Terminal 2, which is the easyJet terminal.”
Overall, the project is costing €4 million ($4.65 million) covering a new apron, parking and the FBO itself. SEA Prime also has a 5,000-sq-m/52,820-sq-ft hangar already dedicated to business aviation.
Dorigotti said Milan is its only focus rather than trying to expand elsewhere in Italy. “We are the airport manager in Milano unless our shareholder [SEA] looks at expansion. It is the largest market in Italy by far for business aviation, with over 22,000 movements a year, the fifth highest European city.”
She noted that according to WingX data, August was “the busiest for the last decade” for European business aviation, traffic increasing by 2.4 percent year-on-year. Milan Prime saw a 3 percent increase in movements in September and a 5 percent increase in aircraft max takeoff weight (to an average size of 17 metric tons) compared to September 2017.
Key events in Milan are driving a lot of business aviation traffic, in particular the Monza Grand Prix and Fashion Week in September, as well as Design Week in April, said Dorigotti. There has also been considerable activity from other companies locating at Linate. “We see a trend that is very positive," she said. "Leonardo has opened a maintenance base for helicopters and has some based there, and Bombardier and Gulfstream also have capabilities there."
Rather than being a direct part of an FBO chain, SEA Prime has a “minority stake in Signature for Italy; they’re part of the business and we lease space to them,” said Dorigotti. “We also have Universal, SkyService etc…and we monitor the quality they offer here.”
Milan’s main international airport, Malpensa, to the north-west of the city, is set to get a dedicated business aviation facility in June 2019, according SEA Prime, the subsidiary of the Milan airports operator which already runs the Milan Linate Prime FBO.
According to Chiara Dorigotti, general manager SEA Prime S.p.A. (Booth 4079), Milan Malpensa Prime is currently being built and will be a 1400m2 (15,000 sq ft) facility “located between Terminals 1 and Terminal 2.” She noted “We already have GA traffic there but currently GA passengers have to go to Terminal 2, which is the easyJet terminal.”
Overall the project is costing €4 million ($4.65 million) covering new apron, parking and the FBO itself. SEA Prime also has a 5000m2 hangar already dedicated to business aviation.
Dorigotti said Milan is its only focus rather than trying to expand elsewhere in Italy. “We are the airport manager in Milano unless our shareholder [SEA] looks at expansion. It is the largest market in Italy by far for business aviation, with over 22,000 movements a year–the 5th highest European city.”
She noted that according to WingX data, August was “the busiest for the last decade” for European business aviation, traffic increasing by 2.4 percent year-on-year. Milan Prime saw a 3% increase in movements in September and a 5% increase in aircraft max takeoff weight (to an average size of 17 metric tons) compared to September 2017.
Key events in Milan are driving a lot of business aviation traffic, in particular the Monza Grand Prix (September 1-2), Fashion Week in September and Design Week in April, said Dorigotti.
There has also been considerable activity from other companies locating to Linate. “We see a trend that is very positive," said Dorigotti. "Leonardo has opened a maintenance base for helicopters and has some based there, and Bombardier and Gulfstream also have capabilities there."
SEA Prime was founded in 2015 following the acquisition of the companies ATA Ali Trasporti Aerei and ATA Ali Servizi by SEA SpA, and the rebranding and restyling of the Linate Prime business and general aviation airport. SEA Prime manages all airport infrastructures at Milano Linate Prime and Milano Malpensa Prime, including dedicated terminals, apron and eleven hangars covering 29,000m2, passenger and crew lounges and the BMW Business Centre. Milano Linate Prime is the first business and GA airport in Italy, with over 21,000 movements in 2017. It is located only 7km from the city to the south-east of the center.
Dorigotti told AIN: “Linate is very convenient for downtown Milan…Malpensa is up north, closer to the mountains. She noted that at the Malpensa facility SEA Prime has been able to plan for bigger lounges, as it’s a new building. “So we’ll have a very nice terminal with five lounges, 120m2 each, and can personalize for operators, and we will monitor quality very closely.” Linate is an existing building but she noted that was set for a revamp also: “Linate is different but we’re transforming the terminal there too,” to offer bigger lounges as much as they can, for example. Dorigotti said the average number of passengers per aircraft is only about 2.5 “but we have had an [Airbus] A318, and an A319 once for a prestigious wedding and the terminal was packed with people. Sometimes have also have people dwelling in the terminal though most people pass straight through.” An example is government delegations who tend to gather in the terminal before their flight.
Dorigotti said it is not unusual for the manager of international airports to also operate business aviation facilities, for example ADP in Paris. “We’re more similar to Nice, or Luton, than Paris though,” she said. “We are also different from some as we decided to invest directly ourselves in the infrastructure. We’ve earmarked at least €20 million over next five years” for further investment.
“When people arrive here they see everything run by airport operators,” which Dorigotti suggests gives them confidence. “Myself and my colleagues are dedicated to business aviation, it’s dedicated company, as [business aviation] is totally different from commercial aviation. But I’m 100 percent owned by them… and I report to the [group] board. I get support from my group so there is a lot of cooperation from the company.”
She said that since the city hosted World Expo 2015, Milan has been “booming” and even in August, which is “normally quiet,” the city was very busy this year.
At NBAA 2018, SEA Prime is focused on further raising awareness among the international audience–not only Americans. “NBAA is worldwide and is not just U.S. operators…for example Flexjet just made an agreement with one of our partners. It’s very important for us to be there. NBAA is a must to present our project and get ourselves known.”
However she told AIN that SEA is not yet interested in partnering with other airports, in the way Biggin Hill has done with Teterboro. “Our commercial partnerships are really more from a service perspective…otherwise we exchange ideas but no formal commercial partnerships."
In terms of marketing, SEA Prime focuses on advertising in the airport terminals at Linate and Malpensa. This is focused on luxury goods, for example BMW, which also provides SEA with its VIP BMW 7 Series cars. There have been static displays by Gulfstream and Dassault, including aircraft models, “and we have sold advertising space on the hangar.”
Rather than being a direct part of an FBO chain, SEA Prime has a “minority stake in Signature for Italy; they’re part of the business and we lease spaces to them,” said Dorigotti. “We also have Universal, SkyService etc…and we monitor the quality they offer here.” She noted that the FBOs have plenty more offices available.
In addition, Netjets recently bought advertising space in the Linate terminal, and is planning events in the terminal. “They bring their aircraft here, perhaps have some flights to attract new customers…have a real aircraft for people to see. We cooperate with them.”
And what will SEA Prime be offering by way of Italian hospitality at NBAA? “Italian coffee and cookies.”