Signature Flight Support has expanded into Italy after acquiring a 60 per cent share of Prime Aviation Services from SEA Prime, who will remain a 40 per cent shareholder. SEA Prime is 100 per cent owned by SEA, the airport manager of Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa.

The newly-refurbished FBO in Milan Linate and satellite stations in Milan Malpensa, Rome Ciampino and Venice Marco Polo airports will add four locations to Signature's European network, which now totals 31 FBOs in EMEA and 199 globally. Its European network is said to feature at nine of the top 25 European airports in terms of business and general aviation activity. Each location will be fully branded.

The Linate operation offers VIP passenger handling, with lounge accommodation, customs and immigration assistance, ground transportation, hotel and conference coordination and security services as well as fuel services. For crew, the lounge area is equipped for weather briefings, flight planning assistance, NOTAM information, slot coordin-ation, crew ground transportation and hotel accommodation. Flight support services include catering, laundry, aircraft cleaning and maintenance support, while ground handling, VIP lounges and fuel services are on offer in Rome and Venice.

The partnership has formed one year after the relaunch of business aviation by SEA at Milan Linate, the first business aviation airport in Italy with over 22,000 movements a year. The relaunch included a refurbish-ment of the GAT in 2015 and is part of investments in excess of €25 million beginning in 2015 through 2020.

“These investments are a strong sign of our commitment and we believe that this important agreement with Signature Flight Support will be instrumental in accelerating growth at our airports and generating new opportunities and international synergies,” says SEA Prime chairman Giulio De Metrio. “Last year marked a turning point for us as revenues and profit increased. ”

Adds Signature MD for EMEA Mark Johnstone: “Prime Aviation Services is a significant addition to the Signature Flight Support network, providing our customers with premier choices for flight support service at four of Italy's top airports. We are confident this will raise the bar in Italy.”