Luxaviation Group has agreed in principle to a partnership with Amici dell'Aeroporto (AA/p) from Lugano. The companies are aiming to establish direct flight connections from Lugano to Geneva and Bern. AA/p is a consortium that consists of Ceresia Holding, a company 100 per cent owned by Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, and Investindustrial Services, part of the Investindustrial group headed by the Bonomi family.

The partnership is part of Amici Dell'Aeroporto's participation in the Lugano airport privatisation tender published by the city of Lugano and the canton of Ticino. It is a direct response to the need for an efficient and regular flight connection between the three Helvetic business hubs.

Amici Dell'Aeroporto initially plans to offer two daily round-trip flights to Geneva and one to Bern with a flight time of no more than one hour. If successful, the list of destinations will be gradually extended, with the ambition to establish Lugano as a hub integrated into the public and private transport network. The flight connection is set to be assured by a new, low-consumption, low C02 and noise emission, 10-seat King Air 350 or eight-seat King Air 250 aircraft.

Luxaviation Group CEO Patrick Hansen says: “We are convinced that Amici Dell'Aeroporto offers a valuable solution for Lugano airport and the local ecosystem. With the King Air 250/350 travellers will reach Geneva and Bern in less than an hour, which is not only a time efficient solution but also an invaluable response to their professional and private needs.”

In September 2020, Luxaviation Group opened an office in Lugano to strengthen its Swiss business aviation offering. The international business aircraft group also holds an AOC for Switzerland and has an FBO at Zurich airport.