F L Y I N G T O I T A L Y
are helping to drive growth, such as Milan
Fashion Week and the Italian Grand Prix,”
she says. “If you look at the Grand Prix, it’s
a huge weekend spectacle now, with so much
going on around it, and that means more visitors.
Improving your facilities attracts people too.
“The business climate in Milan is also
developing. The likes of Google and Microsoft
have offices here now, with others coming.
Our peak times used to be seasonal, but
“The holiday market explodes
from June until August, but
demand remains consistent at
other times in the year. ”
Franco Campomori, founder and partner at Campomori
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now we’re busy all year round.”
Campomori agrees. “The holiday market
really explodes from June until August, but
demand remains consistent at other times
in the year,” he says. “That means a high
demand for FBO facilities, infrastructure,
maintenance and hangars, with evidence of
this particularly in Milan.”
The luxury tax
Italy’s current business aviation success is even
more remarkable when considering the challenges
it faces – the biggest being the so-called luxury tax.
Introduced in 2012, the tax on private jets is twofold, as
either a sum paid for each passenger on a charter operation
landing in an Italian airport – up to €200 (US$227) per
person, depending on the distance travelled – or a tax
on the aircraft itself if it is registered in Italy, calculated
by weight. With the passenger tax, a single journey for a
group of people can easily add up to more than €2,000
(US$2,271), while huge sums can be incurred for aircraft
spending time on Italian soil.
The tax has caused concern. “We believe the luxury
tax should be reviewed, because it creates distortion in the
market,” says Dorigotti. “But I believe it’s not really at the top
of the agenda for our government right now.”
Aviation and Law
For Franco Campomori, the shift to large aircraft is
also an indicator that Italian companies are taking a
more international approach to business. “The overall
movements are about 125,000 per year, and the
market is pretty stable,” he says. “The change in
the types of aircraft is something other countries
are also seeing. It means that entrepreneurs
from Europe are looking to open and expand
their businesses in continents with fastergrowing
economies.
“On the other hand, Italy remains a top
holiday and events destination.”
What’s driving growth?
Part of the change in Italy’s business
aviation sector is from raising standards to
appeal to more clients around the world. But
what is driving this development, and why is
the sector changing now?
For Milanese, the answer is simple. “Business
and leisure are the main drivers,” she says. “In Italy,
the top two airports are Milan-Linate and Olbia. In Milan,
people are there for business. They go to Olbia to relax.
Both are locations are in high demand.”
Working in Milan, Dorigotti can elaborate. “It’s an
interesting market here, with a number of big events that
Below: The structure of
SEA Prime’s US$5.7 million
business aviation terminal is
designed to resemble a gem