Specialized consulting for every dimension of air transport. Based at Milano Malpensa, serving the world.
Who we are
epne7 is a specialized aviation consulting firm built by seasoned industry professionals with decades of hands-on experience across airlines, airports, and aviation service providers. Headquartered near Milano Malpensa Airport — one of Europe's most dynamic aviation hubs — we bring a global perspective rooted in practical, on-the-ground expertise. We understand that the aviation industry operates under uniquely complex conditions: tight regulatory frameworks, razor-thin margins, intense competitive pressures, and rapidly shifting market dynamics. Our firm was founded to meet those challenges head-on, with the precision and accountability that senior aviation executives demand.
What sets epne7 apart is our integrated approach. Rather than offering isolated advice on a single issue, we bring together expertise in organizational design, operational efficiency, and strategic marketing under one roof. This means your organization benefits from a holistic view of its challenges and opportunities — one that accounts for how decisions in one area ripple through the entire operation. Whether you are navigating a regulatory audit, redesigning your commercial strategy, or repositioning your airport's service offering, our consultants work alongside your team to deliver solutions that are both strategically sound and operationally executable.
To deliver measurable value from day one, turning complex challenges into sustainable growth opportunities for airlines, airports, and aviation service providers worldwide.
Our team combines deep regulatory knowledge with commercial acumen, enabling us to guide clients through both routine operational improvements and high-stakes strategic decisions. We have worked with carriers undergoing fleet modernization, airports seeking to maximize non-aeronautical revenue, and service providers entering new markets. In every engagement, we bring the same commitment: rigorous analysis, clear communication, and recommendations that your team can implement with confidence. From initial assessment through final delivery, epne7 is a partner you can rely on to produce results that stand up to scrutiny at the board level.
Core specializations
epne7's consulting practice spans the full spectrum of aviation business challenges. Our six core specializations are designed to address the most critical pain points facing airlines, airports, and aviation service providers today — from navigating complex regulatory environments and optimizing revenue streams, to managing assets, executing turnarounds, evaluating new ventures, and building lasting organizational capability. Each specialization is backed by consultants who have led similar initiatives in real-world operational settings, ensuring that our recommendations are grounded in practical experience rather than theoretical frameworks. Whether you need targeted support on a specific issue or a comprehensive engagement spanning multiple disciplines, our team scales to meet your organization's needs with precision and accountability.
Guiding you through international and local aviation regulations, safety standards, and compliance processes to ensure seamless operations. Our consultants help you stay ahead of regulatory changes from EASA, ICAO, and local authorities, minimizing risk and avoiding costly penalties while maintaining operational continuity.
In depth
Crafting marketing strategies, optimizing yield management, and setting pricing structures that maximize profitability without compromising customer satisfaction. We combine data-driven analysis with commercial intuition to help you capture maximum value across every fare class, route, and distribution channel.
In depth
Optimizing fleet utilization, coordinating maintenance programs, and implementing cost-control measures to extend asset life and improve operational reliability. Our approach balances capital efficiency with operational performance, ensuring your assets deliver maximum return throughout their lifecycle.
In depth
Providing rapid-response support for restructuring, redeployment, and strategic turnarounds during industry disruptions or financial distress. When time is critical, our team mobilizes quickly to stabilize operations, protect stakeholder value, and chart a clear path to recovery.
In depth
Developing robust business plans, advising on startup launches, and facilitating mergers & acquisitions with comprehensive financial and market analyses. From feasibility studies to deal execution, we help you make informed decisions with full visibility into risks and opportunities.
In depth
We work side by side with your team, transferring knowledge and building internal capabilities for lasting impact. Our engagements are designed not just to solve today's problems but to strengthen your organization's ability to tackle future challenges independently and confidently.
Why epne7Specialization deep dive
The aviation regulatory landscape is among the most complex operating environments in any industry. Between EASA and FAA requirements, ICAO standards, local civil aviation authority rules, and an ever-evolving framework of safety, security, and environmental regulations, compliance is a full-time discipline — not a periodic exercise. epne7's regulatory specialists have guided carriers and airports through certification processes, safety audits, slot allocation disputes, and cross-border operational approvals across multiple jurisdictions. We understand not just the letter of the regulations but the intent behind them, enabling us to help your organization achieve compliance in the most operationally efficient way possible.
Our approach to regulatory management is proactive rather than reactive. We monitor emerging regulatory changes — from CORSIA environmental requirements to new passenger rights frameworks — and help our clients anticipate and prepare for their impact well before deadlines arrive. This forward-looking stance reduces the risk of last-minute scrambles, costly penalties, or operational disruptions that can arise from non-compliance. Whether you are a carrier seeking to expand into new markets, an airport pursuing certification upgrades, or a service provider navigating licensing requirements, epne7 provides the expertise and structured methodology to move you forward with confidence.
EASA, ICAO, FAA, and national civil aviation authority compliance frameworks tailored to your operational footprint.
IATA IOSA, ISAGO, and internal safety management system (SMS) development and audit preparation.
End-to-end process design for regulatory reporting, documentation, and ongoing monitoring to ensure seamless operations.
Regulatory challenges rarely exist in isolation. A change in slot allocation rules can affect your network strategy; a new environmental regulation can reshape your fleet planning; a security directive can alter your ground handling arrangements. epne7's integrated consulting model ensures that regulatory guidance is always connected to its operational and commercial implications, giving your leadership team a complete picture of the decisions ahead. Our consultants have direct experience working within regulatory bodies as well as within the airlines and airports they regulate — a dual perspective that allows us to anticipate how authorities will interpret and enforce requirements, and to position your organization accordingly.
In an industry where margins are measured in single digits and competition is relentless, revenue management is not a back-office function — it is a core strategic capability. epne7's revenue management specialists help airlines and airports unlock the full commercial potential of their operations through data-driven pricing strategies, sophisticated yield optimization, and targeted marketing initiatives. We work with your commercial teams to analyze demand patterns, segment your customer base, and design fare structures and ancillary offerings that maximize revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK) and per passenger. Our consultants bring hands-on experience with leading revenue management systems and have implemented pricing strategies across diverse market conditions, from highly competitive short-haul routes to premium long-haul corridors.
We begin with a thorough diagnostic of your current commercial performance — examining booking curves, load factors, fare class distribution, and competitive positioning. From there, we develop a tailored strategy that may include dynamic pricing models, ancillary revenue optimization, distribution channel management, and loyalty program enhancements. Our recommendations are always grounded in your specific market context, fleet composition, and brand positioning.
Route-level and network-wide marketing plans aligned with commercial objectives and brand positioning.
Advanced forecasting and inventory control to capture maximum revenue across all fare classes and channels.
Fare architecture and ancillary bundling that drives profitability without eroding customer satisfaction.
Beyond pricing and yield, epne7's commercial practice extends to airport non-aeronautical revenue optimization — helping airports maximize income from retail, parking, advertising, and real estate development. We understand that for many airports, non-aeronautical revenue is the key to financial sustainability, and we bring proven methodologies for concession management, passenger spending analysis, and commercial master planning. Whether you are an airline seeking to improve route profitability or an airport looking to grow commercial revenues, epne7 delivers strategies that are both ambitious and achievable.
The aviation industry is uniquely susceptible to crises — economic shocks, geopolitical events, pandemics, fuel price volatility, and regulatory disruptions can destabilize even well-managed organizations overnight. When a crisis hits, the difference between recovery and collapse often comes down to the speed and quality of the response. epne7's crisis management practice is built for exactly these moments. Our consultants have led restructuring programs for carriers facing insolvency, coordinated workforce redeployment during operational crises, and designed turnaround strategies that restored profitability to distressed aviation businesses. We understand that crisis management requires not just analytical rigor but also the ability to make clear decisions under extreme uncertainty and to communicate those decisions effectively to stakeholders at every level.
Immediate diagnostic of financial, operational, and strategic vulnerabilities to establish the true scope of the crisis.
Short-term cash flow management, cost reduction, and stakeholder communication to halt further deterioration.
Organizational redesign, fleet rationalization, and route network optimization to right-size the operation.
Strategic repositioning and growth planning to emerge from the crisis stronger and more resilient.
Our crisis management engagements are characterized by direct access to senior decision-makers, transparent communication, and a relentless focus on preserving enterprise value. We have worked with boards, lenders, regulators, and labor representatives to navigate the complex stakeholder dynamics that accompany aviation crises. Whether your organization is facing immediate financial distress or you want to build resilience against future disruptions, epne7 provides the expertise and the calm, structured approach that crisis situations demand. We have seen how panic-driven decisions can compound a crisis, and we bring the discipline and experience to ensure that every action taken during a turnaround is deliberate, evidence-based, and aligned with a clear recovery objective.
Aviation is a capital-intensive industry where the quality of investment decisions determines long-term competitiveness. Whether you are launching a new airline, acquiring a competitor, financing a fleet expansion, or optimizing an existing asset portfolio, the financial stakes are enormous and the margin for error is small. epne7's project evaluation and financing practice brings rigorous financial modeling, market analysis, and transaction advisory capabilities to every engagement. Our consultants have structured financing for aircraft acquisitions, evaluated the commercial viability of new routes and hubs, and advised on mergers and acquisitions across multiple jurisdictions. We combine deep industry knowledge with sophisticated financial analysis to ensure that your investment decisions are grounded in reality and designed to deliver sustainable returns.
Our asset management practice takes a lifecycle approach to fleet and infrastructure optimization. We understand that aircraft are not just operational tools but financial assets whose value must be managed actively throughout their service life. Our consultants work with airline finance teams, lessors, and maintenance organizations to develop strategies that balance operational performance with capital efficiency. From selecting the right aircraft type for a given route network to negotiating maintenance reserves and planning end-of-lease transitions, epne7 ensures that your assets are working as hard for your balance sheet as they are for your operations. For airport clients, we apply similar principles to terminal infrastructure, ground equipment, and real estate assets, helping you maximize the return on every square meter of your facility.
Global reach
epne7's consultants have delivered results for leading carriers and aviation ventures across some of the world's most demanding markets. Our geographic footprint reflects both the breadth of our expertise and the trust that aviation executives place in our ability to perform under pressure. From European carriers navigating post-liberalization competition to African airlines building new route networks, from Middle Eastern hubs pursuing ambitious expansion to Latin American operators managing complex regulatory environments — we have been there, and we have delivered. Our consultants have worked on the ground in each of these regions, developing deep familiarity with local market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and cultural contexts that shape aviation business decisions.
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Europe, Central & South America, Africa, and the Middle East
100+
Across airlines, airports, and aviation service providers
24/7
Crisis and turnaround support available around the clock
Our work spans the full spectrum of aviation consulting engagements. In Europe, we have supported legacy carriers through restructuring, assisted airports with concession strategy, and guided low-cost entrants through market entry. In Central and South America, our consultants have helped airlines optimize route networks, develop pricing strategies for highly competitive domestic markets, and navigate complex bilateral air service agreements. Across Africa, we have worked with carriers on fleet planning, regulatory compliance, and partnership structures that enable sustainable growth in emerging markets. In the Middle East, our engagements have included hub development strategy, cargo network optimization, and the evaluation of new service offerings for both carriers and airports.
What unites all of these engagements is our commitment to delivering results under tight deadlines. Aviation decisions rarely wait — a missed slot deadline, a delayed certification, or an unresolved financial crisis can have irreversible consequences. epne7's consultants are accustomed to working at the pace the industry demands, bringing both speed and rigor to every engagement. We understand that our clients are making high-stakes decisions with real consequences for their organizations, their employees, and their passengers, and we treat every engagement with the urgency and professionalism it deserves.
Why epne7
In a crowded consulting marketplace, epne7 stands apart through a combination of deep aviation specialization, integrated expertise, and an unwavering commitment to client outcomes. We are not a generalist firm that dabbles in aviation — aviation is all we do. This singular focus means our consultants bring a level of industry knowledge and operational credibility that generalist firms simply cannot match. When you engage epne7, you are working with professionals who have sat in the same seats you occupy, faced the same pressures, and made the same high-stakes decisions. We speak your language, understand your constraints, and respect the complexity of the challenges you face every day.
We don't believe in one-size-fits-all. Every recommendation is customized to your organization's unique goals, constraints, and competitive context. Our consultants invest time in understanding your specific situation before proposing a single solution, ensuring that our advice is relevant, actionable, and aligned with your strategic priorities.
From regulatory hurdles to financial modeling, our integrated approach ensures that no critical detail falls through the cracks. Our six specializations work in concert, so whether your challenge spans multiple disciplines or requires deep expertise in a single area, epne7 delivers a cohesive, comprehensive response.
We work side by side with your team, transferring knowledge and building internal capabilities for lasting impact beyond our engagement. We are not here to create dependency — we are here to strengthen your organization so that it can continue to thrive long after our work together is complete.
Our consultants are available for rapid deployment on urgent mandates, with the flexibility to scale resources to match your timeline and scope. When the situation demands immediate action, epne7 mobilizes quickly without sacrificing the quality and rigor that our clients expect.
Our collaborative approach extends to every phase of an engagement. We believe that the best outcomes are achieved when our consultants work as an extension of your team — embedded in your operations, aligned with your culture, and accountable for results. We transfer knowledge throughout the engagement, ensuring that your team gains the capabilities and insights needed to sustain improvements after we depart. This commitment to capacity building reflects our belief that consulting should leave an organization stronger, not just smarter. When you choose epne7, you are choosing a partner invested in your long-term success, not just the delivery of a report.
Get started
The first step toward solving your most pressing aviation challenge is a conversation. epne7's discovery process is designed to quickly surface your highest-priority issues, align on objectives and success metrics, and co-create a roadmap that delivers real results. Whether you are facing a regulatory deadline, a revenue shortfall, a fleet decision, or a full-scale crisis, our team is ready to engage. We understand that every organization's situation is unique, which is why our discovery sessions are tailored to your specific context — we come prepared to listen, ask the right questions, and begin forming a clear picture of how we can add value from the very first meeting.
Pinpoint your top aviation challenge
Schedule a session to set objectives
Align milestones, resources, and risks
Our discovery sessions are confidential, focused, and action-oriented. In most cases, we can provide an initial assessment of your situation and a proposed engagement structure within days of our first conversation. We understand that aviation executives operate under constant time pressure, and we respect that by moving quickly while maintaining the analytical rigor our work demands. From the first conversation to the final deliverable, epne7 is committed to transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes that you can present with confidence to your board, your investors, and your team.
“Smoke & Stories”
Andrea G. Molinari is a true renaissance man of industry, hailing from the heart of Rome and leaving an indelible mark across the worlds of engineering, aviation, and fine cigars. Born in 1955, Molinari's passion for innovation began with a doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering from “La Sapienza” University of Rome, where he pioneered research on hydrogen engines.
An esteemed member of the Order of Professional Engineers of Rome, his career soared from designing cutting-edge airline interiors at AvioInteriors to leading global aviation brands, including co-founding Lauda-air with Formula One legend Niki Lauda.
Molinari’s leadership journey spanned over three decades, tackling high-stakes turnarounds at the Volare Group and Air One CityLiner, and serving as a trusted advisor to Italian tourism giants.
His expertise extended beyond the boardroom to the classroom, with teaching roles in Airline Management and Transport Logistics at prestigious institutions.
Equally renowned in the premium cigar world, Molinari embodies the spirit of a true connoisseur. As founder and visionary behind iconic brands like ONEOFF Cigars and MOLINARI Cigars, he’s shaped cigar culture from Havana to Estelí. Today, he’s not just a name in aviation or cigars—he's a symbol of passion, expertise, and relentless drive.
“Leadership Beyond Borders”
Marco R. Ostini is a distinguished figure in the global aviation industry, a leader whose career spans more than three decades of transformation, innovation, and strategic leadership across Europe, the Gulf region, and beyond.
His professional journey reflects a rare combination of operational expertise, organizational insight, and the ability to guide companies through complex market environments with steady and decisive leadership.
Holding an MBA in Aerospace Management from Toulouse Business School, Ostini quickly established himself as a rising force in European aviation. His ascent led him to the position of Vice President and General Manager South Europe at Crossair, where he played a key role in shaping one of Europe’s most innovative regional airlines. His executive career continued through appointments as CEO, CCO, and COO at several aviation companies, where he successfully led restructuring programs, commercial repositioning initiatives, and operational optimization efforts in highly competitive and rapidly evolving markets.
Beyond his executive roles, Marco founded a European aviation consulting firm, supporting airlines, airports, and aviation stakeholders in organizational development, corporate restructuring, and long-term strategic planning.
Today, Marco is recognized not only as an accomplished aviation executive but also as a builder of resilient organizations, a mentor to emerging leaders, and a respected voice in the ongoing evolution of global air transport.