It was in February when we anticipated there were different signals which made us believe that Madrid airport and Iberia might be back. After bad times for both, it looks like things are improving significantly. On August 14 we shared the information that Iberia seemed to be already in good shape. Today, let’s go through the Adolfo Suárez Madrid – Barajas Airport current situation.
Madrid airport is back to profitability
As we had already informed, Aena managed to double the number of profitable airports in 2013. Together with Madrid, also Alicante, Fuerteventura, Girona, La Palma, Tenerife North and Valencia left losses to get into profitability. In 2012, there were only eight profitable airports in the Aena’s airport net. According to a piece of news published by Expansión, all those airports which have now become profitable have something in common: they are tourist airports. With regard to Madrid, it suffered from the huge traffic drop more than other airports. Last year, the airport had benefits for 85 million Euros. However, it continue to lead the list in debts with 5,374 million Euros.
Best Traffic figures in three and a half years
The traffic trends are good also for Madrid airport. On Oct 9, Vozpópuli informed that Madrid increased passengers by 7.8% in September. It served 3.9 million passengers, which makes the best month for the airport in the last three and a half years. Overall, the Spanish airports increased passengers by 4.5% in September. Barcelona had a significant improvement too. The airport increased passengers by 7%, reaching 3.77 millions.
Despite the good trend in 2014, the comparison is not better than in 2005, when the Terminal 4 was not working yet. Between January and August 2005, Madrid airport served 27.96 million passengers. Then, 6,000 million Euros were invested to enable the airport double its capacity fixing a limit of 70 million passengers a year. However, in 2014, Madrid airport has served 27.58 million passengers between January and August.
Madrid airport gets Eurocontrol certificate of full A-CDM integration
Some more good news for Madrid airport is the fact that, last Friday, they received recognition from Eurocontrol in view of the full integration of the airport in the A-CDM programme. Aena informed that Joe Sultana – Network Manager of Eurocontrol – handed over a certificate to Elena Mayoral – Madrid airport director – which recognises the airport is fully integrated with the Airport-Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM). This recognition took place during an act held at Madrid airport. Together with Elena Mayoral and Joe Sultana, this act was attended by Rafael Fernández Villasante – Aena’s director of operations, services, safety and security -, Enrique Maurer – System director of Enaire – and Elizabeth Escribano – in representation of the Airlines operating in Madrid airport.
Madrid airport gets recognition from Eurocontrol on A-CDM integration / Aena.es
Photo: Barajas Airport overview. Photo taken in 2005. Terminals 1, 2 and 3, at center-left of the photo. Terminals 4 and 4-satellite are the two large terminals near the right of the photo / Wikimedia Commons
