Stefano Baronci is the Secretary General of Assaeroporti, the industrial association which brings together 36 Italian management companies for 39 airports. Senior Manager at IATA and ACI EUROPE, Mr. Baronci has been serving as Institutional Relationship Manager at European and World level. In these capacities, he has contributed specifically in representing the interests of airport operators first and later of airlines with the European institutions (Commission, Parliament and Council) and international organizations (ICAO, EUROCONTROL, ECAC) in the field of civil aviation. Baronci oversaw lobbying on EU legislation on airport charges, the related transposition and implementation phases in Italy and the definition of the second legislative package on Single European Sky.

What is the situation of the National airport system?

The air transport sector in Italy has shown great resilience in recent years. Despite the fact that macroeconomic data highlight a significant economic weakening in Italy over the last four years, the National airport traffic records an increase of 12.4% during the same period. This resilience, however, is not to time indefinite. 2012 negative trends (passenger traffic decreased by 1.3% and goods traffic by 4.8%) are confirmed and intensified in January 2013 (which records a decrease approximately of 9% for passengers).
These numbers indicate the real and potential strategic value of the sector, both to the Italian and the community's economies, as instrumental to tourism offer and mobility in general. Tourism offers a great contribution to the Italian economy. Indeed, foreign visitors who arrive in Italy by plane spend a little more than 9 billion euro each year.Oxford Economics estimated that the impact of air transport and tourism amounts to 1.5% of the Italian GDP and 382,000 jobs.
The quality of the customer experience, both in terms of service rendered and offer of infrastructures, is not keeping up with the times and is in urgent need of modernization. Italy, more than other European countries, has to work to fill a competitive disadvantage on this aspect.

What is your opinion on the recently issued Guiding Act for the definition of the National Plan for airport development? 

The association agrees with the basic objectives of the Guiding Act of the plan for airport development as well as the ratio defining strategic priorities, but feels that the instruments indicated by the same are inadequate. Prerogative of the State is to promote the conditions necessary to enable the Country to promptly acquire airport and intermodal infrastructures apt to provide passengers with an excellent service. However the entry of private capital, which is a necessary condition for a reduction in public costs,  can be stimulated only through full management autonomy, simplification of procedures for project planning and execution, governance simplification with clear definition of powers and responsibilities, and greater attention - even by the Government - to the theme of intermodality and airport access. Not yet having fully entrusted the management of some airports, for which an ambiguous transfer from State to Regions has been proposed, is a clear weak point of the work of the Government.

In your opinion, what measures and strategies should the industrial sector adopt to deal with this delicate moment in our Country? 

In a political situation still to be deciphered, it is necessary to ensure a few essential interventions. First, the Transport Authority has to become operative as the only process owner defining new pricing models in order to overcome excessive procedural complexity in terms of airport charges. Moreover, speeding up the implementation process of infrastructure development projects should be considered of paramount importance in a Country where running projects of over 100 millions takes on average more than 10 years. Finally, release of total management has to be concluded without delay to ensure adequate autonomy to interested management companies and facilitate the entry of private capital in the sector.