Montichiari Airport’s Future as Italy’s New International Hub
Everyone wants it: the «Gabriele D’Annunzio» airport in Montichiari. From the major Sea (Malpensa and Linate), with President Giorgio Fossa repeatedly emphasizing the strategic importance of this airport; not to be overlooked is the Bergamasque Orio al Serio (managed by Sacbo, in which Sea still holds nearly half of the shares), which has been making relentless overtures to it for the past two years.
The Brescia partners also believe in it, preparing to participate in the assembly on June 14 of Catullo in Verona-Villafranca, the airport’s operator, with hopes to see the long-awaited management company for the Montichiari airport established. All are energized by the recent endorsement from the Regione Lombardia, which, with President Roberto Formigoni and the regional assessor Massimo Corsaro, for the first time spoke of a future as an »hub» and an international airport for Montichiari.
Future prospects and development
This is not a fanciful “destiny,” supported by a study from the regional Irer, which even does not exclude the future use of the Ghedi military runway, still distant but conceivable.
Meanwhile, within Catullo, disagreements surface with the mayor of Verona, and on the operational front, the anticipated enhancement of firefighting services is nearing completion, thanks in part to the institutional commitment of the Brescia prefecture.
Catullo‘s capital.
Construction and management of the airport
The Gabriele D’Annunzio is a treasure that emerged in just a few months from the fields of the Montichiari heathland. Built in seven months and reached operational status in less than two years from initial discussions, it opened in March 1999 after decades of unsuccessful attempts.
It’s a treasure that, to be clear, was made possible largely thanks to the determined efforts of Catullo Spa. This company fostered the growth of the facility, which achieved impressive milestones (over 160,000 passengers) in 2000, and which is now picking up momentum again, thanks to Alpi Eagles, with routes to Rome, and surprisingly adding flights to Naples and Olbia (the latter starting Saturday, June 9), along with Ryanair flights to London and various charter services.
“A positive commitment that we do not want to devalue —,” acknowledges Franco Bettoni, President of the Brescia Chamber of Commerce. “But today we believe that the idea of a management company in which Brescia controls only 15% needs to be reconsidered. We need to discuss this again, and we are ready to contribute the additional funds necessary.”
Guido Galperti, the only Brescia representative on the Catullo Board of Directors, views the matter positively: “We have good cards to play in order to work together effectively.” It seems likely that the June 14 assembly will see a positive “handshake” between Brescia and Verona to revive D’Annunzio, based also on expectations raised by the conference in Milan on May 31, where Regional President Formigoni expressed appreciation for Montichiari’s role within Lombardy’s transport system.
This operation is also well regarded by Ferdinando Sanson (President of Catullo, who also attended the Milan conference) and Vigilio Bettinsoli, provincial Transport assessor, who quickly sent a circular to the municipalities of Montichiari, Castenedolo, and Ghedi “to account for their territorial plans considering the growth of D’Annunzio, which is now deemed irreversible.”
