The shareholders’ assembly of Sac has approved the launch of the privatisation procedure for Catania Fontanarossa and Comiso Pio La Torre airports, opening the sale of a stake ranging between 51% and 66% of the capital. The overall valuation of the two airports varies between €600 million and €1 billion, depending on investment plans and traffic performance. The regional government views the operation as a strategic step to strengthen eastern Sicily’s role as a logistics hub in the Mediterranean, with particular focus on air freight and intermodality. Several investors, both Italian and international, have already expressed interest in the acquisition.
Among the Italian operators, Mundys, F2i and Save stand out. Mundys, which already manages Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, has repeatedly confirmed its interest in Catania and Comiso, stressing the potential for developing capacity and ground services. F2i, Italy’s main infrastructure fund with stakes in numerous airports across the country, is assessing the dossier in light of possible synergies within its network. Save, active in Venice, Treviso and Verona, is also closely following the process, in a context of broader restructuring across Italy’s airport sector.
Internationally, attention is equally strong. Adq, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, has formally expressed interest in line with its announced $40 billion (around €37 billion) investment plan in Italy and its direct airport management experience through Abu Dhabi Airports and its stake in Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. Aena, Europe’s largest airport operator by passenger numbers, is examining the dossier and will consider joining the process if the tender conditions align with its expansion strategy. Vinci Airports, already present in Italy through Toscana Aeroporti, is also among the groups analysing Sac’s data. Other potential bidders mentioned in recent reports include Blackstone, Adp and Corporación América Airports, the latter already active in the Italian market and recently strengthened in Tuscany.
The commercial positioning of the airports, particularly Catania, is supported by the activity of airlines. At the main Sicilian airport, Ryanair operates four aircraft and 34 routes, with six new connections added since 2023, contributing to traffic growth and reducing seasonality. Wizz Air operates two aircraft and 18 routes to nine countries, enhancing connectivity with Central Europe. EasyJet maintains a consolidated presence and uses terminal C for its domestic and international operations, while from 2025 Delta will launch a daily direct flight between Catania and New York JFK, signalling growing interest from the North American market.
At Comiso, the situation is different. After Ryanair’s withdrawal, Aeroitalia became the main national operator, with flights to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate and the launch, from November 2025, of public service obligation routes. Volotea inaugurated the Comiso–Lille service in April 2025, while Wizz Air Malta and Wizz Air Hungary have scheduled seasonal and annual flights to Katowice and Tirana until 2028, supported by tenders promoted by the Chamber of Commerce of South East Sicily. EasyJet connects the airport with Nice and Basel, helping stabilise international traffic. Ita Airways and other legacy carriers have not yet invested in operational bases, making further incentives and accessibility improvements necessary.
Public incentives and infrastructure projects directly affect the attractiveness of both airports. The Sicilian regional government has abolished the municipal surcharge on boarding fees and launched tenders worth €3 million per year for three years to support international routes from Comiso. In Catania, work is under way to expand the passenger terminal and design a new runway to increase capacity and operational reliability. At the same time, the Catania–Ragusa motorway and the Comiso cargo logistics platform are considered strategic for fostering modal integration and the development of high-value freight, including temperature-controlled agri-food logistics.
From an industrial perspective, three key directions are emerging. The first concerns governance: the sale of a majority stake entails a shift in decision-making structure, with the entry of a partner capable of accelerating investments and standardising processes. The second relates to network integration: groups such as Aena, Vinci or Mundys could achieve economies of scale in procurement, technology and airline relations, affecting costs and service quality. The third concerns connectivity: the opening of new bases and routes, including intercontinental ones, would expand demand and stabilise non-aviation revenues, influencing asset valuation parameters.
For logistics and freight operators, strengthening Catania as a hub for eastern Sicily opens new opportunities in the cargo sector and last-mile services linked to e-commerce. The increase in runway and apron capacity, combined with Comiso’s logistics platform, could attract temperature-controlled and fast-transit shipments, in connection with the regional port and interport network.
