Mallorca airport row: minister attacks Govern over lets

On Mallorca, in Spain’s Balearic Islands, holiday lets rather than airports are at the centre of a row over tourist numbers: Spain’s transport minister accuses the Balearic government of demanding airport curbs while failing to halt licences for holiday flats. Óscar Puente made the charge at an event in Madrid, Spain, on Monday, 26 October, calling it “unbearable hypocrisy”. He argues that anyone seeking fewer tourists must limit the accommodation available at their destination.

Why Puente defends airport capacity

Airlines are free under European law to choose their routes, Puente said. If an airport has room under its development plan, its operator must grant the take-off and landing slots an airline requests. Airport operator Aena cannot choose who travels, he said, though it can plan its airports around expected passenger numbers.

A flat with more guests, not more flights

Puente also argued that higher accommodation prices can shorten holidays without reducing the number of visitors. In his example, someone who once could afford 15 days in an apartment in Alcúdia, Mallorca, can now afford only seven. The flat stays occupied all summer, but more guests use it in turn — and more people pass through the airport. That, he said, is why pricier stays do not necessarily mean fewer travellers.

Topics: Air travel · Politics · Alcúdia

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com