Image Credit: Anastasia Buchinskaia, Unsplash
Skyports Infrastructure has partnered with two Italian aviation companies to develop air taxi infrastructure across Milan and the Lombardy region.
The joint venture company – Vertical Gateway (VEGA) – unites Skyports with Milan airport owner SEA Milan and Italian airport investment infrastructure company 2i Aeroporti.
VEGA will begin by establishing vertiport infrastructure to enable air taxi routes between Central Milan and Malpensa Airport, before scaling across Lombardy and potentially other Italian regions.
“Lombardy is Italy’s most densely populated and congested region,” VEGA CEO Paolo Capello told Zag Daily. “Home to approximately a sixth of Italy’s population, many of whom live in Milan which is Italy’s business and industrial capital and an important tourist destination, a robust transport network is essential.
“This joint venture supports the development of transport infrastructure across the region, to meet Lombardy’s growing demands.”
Paolo said that VEGA will drive the introduction of air taxi services between strategic locations across Milan and the region’s wider metropolitan areas, and connect key sites such as city destinations and transport hubs.
The vertiports will be integrated into the existing transport network to connect air taxis with other modes of travel such as trains and buses.
VEGA aims to draw on the experience of each partner. Skyports will contribute its knowledge in developing, constructing and operating vertiport infrastructure. SEA Milan will use its experience of operating two of Italy’s busiest airports, and 2i Aeroporti will use its relationships with Italian institutions to foster the growth of the joint venture.
Paolo said the infrastructure will be rolled out progressively as the industry demand for advanced air mobility grows. There is no fixed timeline for full completion.
Across the pond, Skyports was given the green light earlier this year to build the UK’s first permanent vertiport testbed for the electric air taxi industry in Bicester, Oxfordshire.
