Spain airports: €13bn plan heads for September vote
Nearly €13 billion could be channelled into Spanish airports between 2027 and 2031 under a plan the government expects to put before ministers this month.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente set out the timetable on Wednesday, 2 September, during a visit to the new solar park at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport in Madrid. The final approval for DORA III — the investment plan for airports in Aena’s network — must come before 30 September.
Puente said the programme would set the conditions for investment needed to maintain quality, safety and capacity. He has warned that Spain’s airports are under heavy pressure, saying the system is already close to its limits and pointing to Madrid-Barajas as an example.
Fight over airport charges
The investment decision comes with a sharp row over what airlines should pay in airport charges. Puente called Spain’s charges highly competitive and said they help the country draw more travellers.
But the proposals for 2027 to 2031 are far apart. In June, the National Commission for Markets and Competition recommended an annual 0.59% cut. Aena wants a 3.82% rise, while airline association ALA is seeking a 4.9% reduction.
The Council of Ministers is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether DORA III goes ahead before the September deadline.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com