Palma airport protest targets 35.7m passenger plan

Palma is set to see an airport protest on 20 September as neighbourhood, environmental and anti-touristification groups challenge plans that could lift passenger capacity to 35.7 million. The action targets the expansion of Palma Airport, new flight routes, night flights and private jets.

Organisers also want aviation fuel subsidies scrapped and are calling for shared airport management. Protests are also planned in Eivissa and Barcelona during the Stay Grounded week of action, which calls for fewer flights.

Capacity plan under fire

The demonstration comes ten days before the Ministry of Transport is due to give final approval to DORA III, the Spanish airport investment programme. It has a budget of 13,000 million euros and, organisers say, would increase operating capacity across the country’s airports.

They say 1,000 million euros is earmarked for the Balearics. Palma’s capacity would rise by 5.6% to 35.7 million passengers, while Eivissa would reach 10 million and Menorca would approach 4.6 million.

Private jets and Son Bonet row

The platform behind the protest also attacks what it calls renewed plans for the Son Bonet solar park. The Balearic Government has put the scheme out for public consultation despite opposition from every political group in the Balearic Parliament, according to organisers.

They say 17,644 private jets arrived at Balearic airports by August, producing 102,000 tonnes of polluting emissions. That is equivalent, they claim, to the average yearly pollution of 22,173 people in Spain.

Topics: Court cases · Protests · Culture · Environment · Tourism · Politics · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com