The shift from a plan which saw Malpensa retuning to its role as a hub towards the development of an international point-to-point airport - primarily seen as something strategic and subsequently incorporated into the Business Plan - is the founding principle of the Master Plan Guidelines for 2030.
At the end of the plan's term (2030), Malpensa should register 245,000 movements according to the baseline scenario and 279,000 in a scenario with additional estimated growth. Annual passenger numbers should range between 28 to 32.5 million, whereas cargo should be in excess of 1 million tons. Following the forecasts in terms of traffic, we decided to check the airport's threshold capacity, particularly relating to flight infrastructures (runways, link roads, aprons), the most critical areas in terms of flows. This study was carried out in collaboration with the ENAV (National Air-Traffic Control Agency). The cross-referenced and analysed capacity projections and studies, led to a base assumption on which to establish our guidelines. Despite all the flexibility required when forecasting activities over the long-term, we believe it is reasonable to project that the current two runway layout, improved through a series of selective works, would be able to sustain volume growth up to 2030. In order to tackle the increase in cargo volumes, diversification in the types of goods (cargo, courier), as well as the increase in operator numbers, the guidelines require several steps to expand and improve the Cargo City services, further to those services offered currently as well as those planned imminently (new aircraft parking stands and new first line warehouses). Some of the new structures could be developed within the existing airport structure. Further developments, on the other hand, would involve expanding the airport by about 60 to 90 hectares immediately south of the current Cargo City to relocate the new first line warehouses and related aircraft stands, support buildings, and road links.
The first edition of the new Master Plan Project (with assessments focused on the planned cargo area development to the south of the current site) was submitted to the Italian National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) in April 2017.
Having reviewed the documentation, in August 2017, ENAC requested SEA to prepare a more detailed study analysing all airport subsystems, and further investigating certain issues in greater depth.
The new edition of the Master Plan’s technical project was completed in September 2018. This last document has not yet been formally transmitted to ENAC, as further investigations are underway before proceeding with formal activation of the approval process. In the meantime, activities regarding the preparation of the new Environmental Impact Study continued.