Sánchez Announces Historic €13bn Aena Investment

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has unveiled plans for what nan authorities is calling nan largest finance successful Spain’s airports successful caller decades. The programme, to beryllium carried retired by nan partially state-owned usability Aena, will spot adjacent to €13 cardinal invested betwixt 2027 and 2031 crossed nan nationalist network.

Announcing nan inaugural during a sojourn to Alicante-Elche airport, Sánchez described nan programme arsenic a “historic investment” that would modernise nan country’s airdrome infrastructure while maintaining immoderate of nan astir competitory fees successful Europe. He was joined by Transport Minister Óscar Puente and Aena’s main executive Maurici Lucena.

Expansion astatine awesome hubs

The scheme will attraction heavy connected Spain’s busiest airports. Around €3.2 cardinal is earmarked for Barcelona-El Prat, wherever projects see nan hold of a 3rd runway, nan building of a caller outer terminal and awesome refurbishments of terminals 1 and 2. Madrid-Barajas is expected to person astir €2.4 billion, while Alicante-Elche will spot much than €1 cardinal invested successful terminal enlargement and nan building of a caller taxiway. In total, adjacent to €10 cardinal of nan finance will beryllium channelled into what are classified arsenic “regulated” activities, chiefly linked to aeronautical operations. The remainder will screen commercialized and non-regulated developments, including unit areas and services designed to heighten rider experience.

Meeting rising demand

The authorities has based on that nan standard of nan programme is basal to meet early demand. Passenger numbers astatine Spanish airports are forecast to scope astir 320 cardinal this year, continuing nan betterment from nan pandemic and pointing towards dependable maturation complete nan adjacent decade. Officials opportunity nan improvements will guarantee that Spain retains its position arsenic a world aviation hub, tin of handling rising postulation volumes while providing amended accommodation for travellers.

The planned finance is almost 4 times greater than nan level approved successful nan erstwhile regulatory rhythm covering nan years 2022 to 2026. According to nan government, this reflects not only accrued request but besides nan request to modernise airports to meet biology standards and caller technological requirements.

Funded done tariffs

Unlike nationalist useful financed straight from nan authorities budget, nan airdrome programme will beryllium funded done nan fees Aena charges airlines and passengers. This has been a root of statement wrong nan industry. In 2026, Aena has already been authorised to raise its tariffs by 6.5 per cent, lifting nan mean maximum gross per rider from €10.35 to €11.03. Further adjustments are expected during nan life of nan caller finance cycle.

Airlines, peculiarly low-cost carriers, person voiced interest that higher fees could undermine way viability and yet push up summons prices. They reason that while finance is necessary, nan gait and standard of tariff increases should beryllium cautiously managed to protect competitiveness.

Government defends competitiveness

Sánchez has defended nan programme, insisting that Spain’s airdrome fees stay among nan astir competitory successful nan European Union. The authorities maintains that nan state offers a precocious modular of infrastructure astatine comparatively debased costs compared pinch different awesome aviation markets. It argues that nan finance will fortify Spain’s position arsenic a preferred destination for visitors and a cardinal hub for world aerial travel. The proposals will now beryllium taxable to consultation pinch nan hose manufacture and must beryllium approved wrong nan model known arsenic DORA III, nan regulatory archive that governs Aena’s finance and tariff argumentation for five-year periods. Negotiations pinch stakeholders are expected to style nan last equilibrium betwixt investment, fees and work value targets.

Looking ahead

For Spain, nan scheme represents much than conscionable an upgrade of bricks and mortar. Officials opportunity it will support economical growth, safeguard jobs and hole nan country’s airports for nan challenges of nan adjacent procreation of aviation, including sustainability goals and integer transformation. With almost €13 cardinal group to beryllium spent, nan programme is being billed arsenic a defining infinitesimal for Spanish aviation. Whether it delivers connected promises of maturation while keeping costs debased will dangle connected really successfully nan authorities and Aena tin equilibrium nan interests of airlines, passengers and nan broader system complete nan coming years.