Birgi takes off and identifies new goals: 1.3 million passengers and the commitment of the Sicilian Region for new routes

At the "Vincenzo Florio" Airport of Trapani-Birgi, a technical inter-institutional meeting took place, bringing together the leaders of Airgest, representatives of local administrations, trade unions, and economic operators in the area. The focus of the discussion was the planning of the 2026 tourist season and the growth prospects of the infrastructure until 2028. The Trapani airport has surpassed the threshold of one million passengers and aims to reach 1.3 million by the end of 2026, also thanks to the establishment of a Ryanair base with two operational Boeing 737-800 aircraft, for an estimated investment of around 200 million dollars.

On the connectivity front, Airgest has already initiated contacts with 86 airlines to expand the range of connections and reduce dependence on a single operator. The support of the Sicilian Region is crucial: the municipal airport surcharge, amounting to about 6.6 million euros annually, will be covered by the regional budget for the 2026-2028 three-year period. A total commitment of 19 million euros is aimed at incentivizing the opening of new national and international routes until the winter season 2028-2029.

The general director Enrico Maria Malato emphasized a key principle: an airport grows if the territory grows with it. Airlines evaluate the attractiveness of the area even before considering the logistical aspects of the airport. For this reason, the meeting was not just a presentation of data, but a moment of listening and collaboratively building a strategy. "Today we had the opportunity to present not only the summer schedule for 2026, but also the prospects for 2027 and 2028. Many ideas emerged from this discussion: we represented what the airlines are asking us, what we could do, and how we could grow together. I believe this is an important moment — the ability to talk, beyond what we are already able to enhance, about how to better develop this territory and integrate it. All of this is possible also thanks to the strong support of the Sicilian Region, which has guaranteed us not only long-term planning but also the elimination of the municipal surcharge: a concrete signal for growth, for the introduction of new routes, and for the future of our airport."

For Salvatore Ombra, president of Airgest S.p.A, today's discussion marks a turning point: the Trapani area stops talking about the airport and begins to engage with the airport. Institutions, businesses, unions, and operators converge on a common goal: to make Birgi the engine of development for western Sicily.