Real estate tycoon, aviation tycoon, networker and martini importer: Brussels businessman Aldo Vastapani (97 years old) has died

As a businessman, Vastapani had an informative address book. He was friends with, among others, former Prime Minister Paul Vanden Poynants and Brussels real estate tycoon Charlie de Bow. In cooperation with them, he developed the questionable Manhattan real estate project, which largely demolished the North Brussels area.

Aldo Vastapani had a reputation for being energetic. For years he owned the historic building “De Zwaan” on Brussels Grand Place. The famous restaurant “La Maison du Cygne” was located there.

Vastapani was also a big name in the aviation sector. He was, among other things, director of Sky Shops, a chain of duty-free shops at Zaventem Airport, collaborated in managing the airport’s parking towers and founded Belgian Airlines Worldwide, an airline consultancy.

After the bankruptcy of the airline Sabena, Vastapani took over Sobilair, the charter airline of the defunct national airline, in 2002. Under his leadership, Sobilair began operating scheduled flights to South Africa as well as charter flights to the Mediterranean. But to no avail, because Subilaire also went bankrupt in 2004.

Aldo Vastapani was a big name in French-speaking Belgium and was friends with the wealthy businessman Albert Frères, Prince Albert and Princess Paola, among others. He was also a patron of Prince Laurent. Coatungen even claimed that Laurent was the son of Paula and Vastapani. In 2006, the businessman was awarded the title of Baron.