Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones speaks: The aim is quality and solidness

20 million francs was the proposed investment that the Friends of the Airport group intended to put on the plate for the relaunch of Lugano Airport. however looking at details only the Town Hall until now had had the opportunity to deepen the discussion. Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, former CEO of the L’Oréal Group, head of the consortium split 50% with Investindustrial (Bonomi family), welcomed CdT to his villa in Montagnola yesterday where we discussed the cards on the table of thew project.

Investindustrial’s interest (as for other companies) is linked to the jobs in Ticino: 50 qualified employees, for whom flying is a necessity. Then there is the personal interest of having an airstrip for private aircraft. «For me, the presence of an airport is a must living in Ticino, but this obviously also concerns other businessmen and beyond. Hence the idea of ​​a realistic and sustainable project, which could allow to connect Geneva with small-capacity aircraft, but able to guarantee an impeccable connection and service. And also Bern, the capital from which Italian-speaking Switzerland often feels distant». «So let’s start with scheduled flights. As is well known, the consortium intends to rely on the Luxembourg company Luxaviation. The idea is to operate at short range with small 10-seat aircraft - King Air model. «It depends what we mean by small», underlines the businessman, who adds: «This is a model chosen on the basis of the study carried out on the occupancy data of aircraft in recent years in Agno. Well, 60-seat aircraft were used, with a maximum of 20 passengers. If the demand, over time, were to grow, we could always increase the frequency, or make use of more capacious aircraft».

Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones speaks: «The password is concreteness»

Start with caution

A concept, that of «starting with care», which confirms the policy of small steps and sustainability that characterizes the consortium’s thinking on several fronts. But let’s stay with scheduled flights: «Whoever gets on a King Air - continues Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones - will have a service no less than that of a real private jet. Sure, few places will make fares just not popular. On the other hand, the main target is that of those who fly for work, businessmen and managers, who cannot afford to stay two days in Geneva just for a meeting of a few hours. In any case, through potential contributions disbursed by the city, the service could also become interesting for other segments of the Ticino population». At the moment there is talk of around 300 francs each way, but for now it is just a projection». «The planes we intend to use also allow a lower environmental impact. In fact, they consume much less and make little noise: perfect for a reality like Lugano Airport».

The water seeping from the roof

However, the airport will also need real estate investments. Of a real restyling. «When they invited us to do an inspection, I do not hide the fact that I felt a good dose of sadness. It was raining, and emergency buckets had been placed on the ground to collect the water that seeped from the roofs ». The Friends of the Airport therefore intend to intervene by creating a new terminal and hangars that give the airport functionality, necessary structures and also a fresh and modern image. «Transparent» continues Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, calling for clarity also at the level of investments. «Already. We would like to invest a total of 20 million francs. Or at least we’d like to. But I don’t know if we will succeed. Of course, not for lack of funds, but because the history of Lugano Airport is marked by the difficulty of creating something concrete. In the last 10 years not even a square meter has been built ». This is due to political clashes, opposition and appeals, but also to the fact that those who managed the airport have always hoped that the airlines would invest, as in the days of Crossair.

«We need capital, immediately «

«From a business point of view - explains the former CEO of L’Oréal - we might want to invest more. But it is something that can be done in the future; when we are able to invest the first 20 million in the airport, we will then be in a dynamic of growth». What is clear - Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones continues - is that a recapitalization of the airport is needed as soon as possible. This step must be taken immediately to deal with urgent interventions: in addition to the terminal to be repaired, the asphalt has to be redone (except that of the runway) while the fuel distribution system must be replaced, as well as most of the technical systems».

Staff

The personnel plan and the resulting jobs are also a central theme for the consortium, which intends to confirm all employees currently under contract (16 full-time units) and to hire another 11 full-time employees to meet new requests and the expansion of services. Without forgetting that the reactivation of scheduled flights may bring additional professionals to Agno.

«Collaborate? Hard»

In the coming months, the Municipality of Lugano will therefore have to choose between the Owen-Jones / Bonomi project and that of Marending-Artioli & Partners. Is there possibly the possibility - as wished by the Executive - that the two groups can collaborate? «I have the impression - he explains - that the Town Hall, rather than a collaboration, suggests a fusion between the two consortiums, this in order not to have to exclude one of the projects. However, it is objectively difficult, if not unthinkable, that two such different approaches and business plans could somehow merge into a single design solution».

The differences

«Compared to - underlines Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones - of our 27 full-time units in total (2.75 million in the business plan), the Artioli consortium, if we have understood correctly, would like to keep only a few units and sell to an external operator most of the staff and business. We also have a single company, where we pay the money. There will be all the investments that we will make, for a total of 20 million, all the revenues and costs (first of all the personnel). All very transparent and clear, easy to verify: a single solid company. In the Artioli project, as far as we know, the management company has few assets, few revenues and few costs and the shareholders remain owners of other «real estate modules» in which they invest, alone or with others, and which then remain outside the company management, to which they are made available by creating flows of capital in both directions. They are not criticisms but objective differences ».

The advantages for the city

Then there is a central aspect, which concerns the rent that the group that wins the airport will have to pay to the City for the use of the surface. “Initially there was talk of 100,000 francs, but that’s something I wouldn’t focus too much on. The real advantage of a privatization relates to the fact that Lugano will no longer have to bear the salaries (today 1.7 million a year), expenses, investments and losses of the airport, which could recur in the future ».

«Cement and more cement»

Talking about the airport and ecology might seem an oxymoron, yet Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones shows an almost surprising sensitivity to the environment and its sustainability. «I owe it to one of my great passions, sailing. The most beautiful moment of a regatta is when, leaving the port, the engine stops and it is the only wind, nature, to push you into the open sea. There is a lot of talk about airports, between for and against, but would you imagine what that area of ​​Vedeggio would be today without the stop? Many believe it would become a potato field. Given what is happening in Ticino and in particular in Lugano in recent times, where a lot is being built despite a demographic decline, I believe that on the Agno plain we would see only one thing: cement, cement and cement ».