One hundred and twenty hours more flying on private planes than the previous year, but 64 hours less aboard the Agusta AW139 helicopter, often used by the founder of the group. Air Berlusconi flew over the international skies more than in previous years, the year its founder, Silvio, died. Children and managers used more than usual the air taxis of Alba Servizi Aerotrasporti, the company of the Fininvest group which organizes private flights both for group travel and for rental to third parties.
There were no more reserves to cover the new budget deficit
In total, 14 million euros were collected from the flights in 2023, almost 2 million more than the previous year. But the company's balance sheet ends with a loss of 6.2 million euros, compared to a loss of 5.7 million euros last year during which founder Berlusconi profited from these planes. CEO Augusto Barbieri, chosen by the Berlusconi heirs to represent them all together in the holding companies controlling Fininvest inherited from their father, therefore had to ask them to return the favor. The loss, in fact, was covered by 5 million euros of reserves that were in the belly of the company and the shareholders were asked at the same time to pay the 1.2 million euros that still served coverage and to make available an additional 5 million euros to avoid having problems in 2024.
You save fuel, but those who fly are hungrier than in the past: catering has increased
The problems stem from the maintenance costs of the two Gulfstreams in the company's fleet, one of which is leased to the Prada group. Since last summer, a ten-seater Falcon 2000LX “belonging to a large Italian industrial group”, which managed it through an SARL called Alis, also arrived with the same rental contract formula. Having had to keep one of the Gulfstreams on the ground, Silvio Berlusconi's managers had to rent other planes in preparation which flew for 57 hours, thus increasing the company's costs. Berlusconi Jr. and the other travelers transported were obviously hungry, because half of the savings from lower fuel prices were canceled out by the increase in the cost of on-board catering, which rose from 108 to 160 thousand euros , or 52 thousand euros. .