It's not true that public airport management doesn't work. This wasn't the case in Alghero either. Sogeaal went into the red only because, as the contracting authority, it had to advance the runway renovation work on behalf of ENAC. There were also enormous delays in the reimbursement of co-marketing funds for traffic development, compounded by the lack of collection of fees owed by airlines. In hindsight, the acquisition of the Riviera del Corallo was a Trojan horse for the incredible scenario now looming over Sardinian skies. Umberto Borlotti was the general manager of this very airport in the northwest, from 2000 to 2009, and was never convinced about the privatization deal in Cagliari.

Puzzled or worried?

«Stunned».

Why?

First point: if the Region truly wanted to have a say in the Sardinian airport system, as it claims, it should become its owner.

Meaning what?

"He should buy the shares. In public limited companies, those who own the shares are in charge, not the others. The owners are responsible for the policies. Today, the draft regulations for the Regional Transport Plan not only fail to mention such intentions, but they even mention only the Alghero railway system, as if the survival of a port depended on passengers arriving by train."

The full interview is available in L'Unione Sarda on newsstands, in the digital edition, and on the L'Unione digital app.

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