Lombardy Airport Study Sparks Debate on Strategic Planning and Politics
Criticism of Airport Transportation Analysis in Lombardy
Controversies surrounding the study commissioned by the Lombardy Region from IReR and Gruppo CLAS on the future of airports in Lombardy, as reported by Corriere, teach us that there are two ways to utilize economic and territorial planning studies (and to disseminate their results).
On one hand, one can distort and misinterpret the study’s findings to serve political ends: for example, by capriciously or implicitly claiming that the study demonstrates that the Malpensa hub was insufficiently designed, is already saturated, and therefore requires immediate action with the construction of a second Lombard hub at Montichiari.
This approach aims to create additional difficulties for Malpensa, which, in the interest of the Lombard community, should be supported to operate efficiently (as well understood by Minister Bersani). The other way to accurately interpret the study is to recognize the foresight of the Lombardy Region: it is concerned with forecasts of a meteoric rise in air travel and proactively commissions a study to guide the long-term territorial planning.
Because, based on the Malpensa experience, it has become clear that a high-capacity airport hub requires many years to develop properly (at least ten), and in the meantime, it is appropriate to plan roads and railways as well as prevent excessive urbanization in areas where airports could be built or expanded — areas that in Lombardy are evidently limited, including Montichiari.
Interpretations of the study and strategic decisions
The two differing interpretations of the same study suggest that the intelligent one takes into account the time needed for territorial planning: a period full of decisions that must be coherent with what will likely happen in ten years.
Conversely, the mistaken and opportunistic reading is one that exploits a reasonable long-term forecast to create obstacles for what is already happening today.
*Bocconi University