Italy's National Airport Plan Sparks Sardinian Political Opposition

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, led by Matteo Salvini, presented the new National Airport Plan 2026‑2035 in May. The plan proposes an integrated airport system for Sardinia, grouping Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero into a single network and citing the Puglia model as a reference.

Regional politicians have voiced strong criticism. Forza Italia’s Marco Tedde denounced the regional government's proposal to spend €30 million to acquire a 9.25 % stake in the future airport holding, calling it economically unsound and urging the money be used to cut local airport taxes. He warned that the transaction could trigger EU state‑aid scrutiny and require Golden Power approval. Lega’s former regional president Michele Pais praised the national plan’s emphasis on integration and public control, warning that the region’s plan to sell airport control to private investors, including the possibility of F2i later transferring its majority share, would jeopardise Sardinian mobility and public interest.