Breaking News

Category Archives: Airports

Barcelona airport capacity to increase by 9% Standard

Air Canada Boeing 767-300ER taxiing at El Prat Airport / Wikimedia Commons - Russavia

The Spanish slot coordinator, AECFA, announced that Barcelona airport capacity is increasing by 9% with effect from the next summer season. This increase may result as significant as the  Palma Airport capacity increase that we have already explained. While Madrid airport lost passengers by 0.4%, 9.0% and 12.1% in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively, Barcelona increased traffic by 17.8%, 2.2%, and 0.2%. In 2014 Madrid is recovering and increased traffic by 4.1% between January and September. However, Barcelona, which did not lose traffic at all in the previous years, keeps gaining passengers in 2014 as well. Barcelona served as much as 6.9% more passengers until September…

Happy days for Madrid airport Standard

Barajas Airport overview. Photo taken in 2005..

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…

Palma Airport Capacity Increase to give more traffic Standard

Can Pastilla, near Palma Airport, Mallorca, Spain, seen from an Easyjet A319 just taken off from Palma Airport on its way to Bristol, England / Arpingstone

The deadline for the summer 2015 slot submissions was yesterday, October 9. All airlines intending to operate in the Spanish airports between March 29 and October 24 2015 were supposed to submit their schedules to AECFA, the new Spanish slot coordinator. Before that, and after the capacity analysis performed by Enaire and Aena, AECFA distributed the new airport capacities for this season. Among other items, it is worth noting the significant Barcelona and Palma airport capacity increases. We will go through the Barcelona airport capacity increase in a separate post. Now, let’s focus on Palma: Palma de Mallorca is one of…

Castellón airport gets the OK from AESA Standard

Castellón airport terminal and statue from a nearby road / Flickr - Egoitz Moreno

Another step taken for Castellón airport to start operations this year: The airport passed all the tests performed by AESA – The Spanish Airport Agency of Air Safety. Consequently, this Agency approved that the airport data sheet is published in the Spanish AIP – Aeronautical Information Publication. The AIP shows all the information with regard to each airport. However, at the moment we are publishing this post, Castellón airport is not yet displayed with the other airport data sheets in the AIP. You can access the AIS – Aeronautical Information Service – and the AIP at the Aena’s web site. At this point…

Spanish Government to reduce airport investment by 18.3% Standard

Man at work at T2 Málaga airport / Flickr - Dorte

Yesterday, the Spanish Government published the first draft of the General State Budget for 2015. ActualidadAeroespacial extracted the amounts set for airport investments. The draft says this budget intends to “continue on the path to economic recovery, competitiveness enhancement and employment creation, enforcing productive investment”. Hence, the Ministry of Development will reduce airport investment by 18.3% during the first year of the Aena privatisation. In 2015, airport investment, together with air safety and security, will be reduced in 24 million Euros. This represents 5% with regard to the Budget for 2014. With this, out of 9,570 million Euros available for development, the Ministry…

Aena acquires majority stake in Luton airport Standard

Many aircrafts grounded in Luton airport because of the volcanic activity in April 2010 / Flickr - Geoff Collins

Last Friday, the Spanish council of Ministers authorised Aena to acquire the majority of London Luton airport. Thus, Aena acquires ownership of 11% of Luton airport reaching a total controlling stake of 51%. A 40% participation had been already bought in November 2013. Luton airport served 9.7 million passengers in 2013. It is the fifth largest UK airport in passengers. It is also easyJet‘s main base With regard to the other Aena airports, Luton is the sixth, after Gran Canaria and ahead of Alicante-Elche ABC said this purchase is a part of the Aena’s plan to increase the international presence in strategic airports. As…

Foreign tourism all-time high in Spain Standard

Considering all means of transport, Spain received 45.4 million foreign tourists between January and August 2014. This is 7.3% over the same period last year. Therefore, it means a new foreign tourism all-time high after the one achieved last year. According to Frontur – Spanish Institute of tourist studies – 9.1 million tourists came to Spain in August. This is 8.8% over August 2013. It is worth noting the French tourism, which contribution to the traffic increase was most significant: the number of French people who came to Spain by whatever means of transport increased in 171,000 in August. All the…

Aena analysing Málaga to create an international hub Standard

Málaga Airport to become an International hub

During the last meeting of the Andalusia Autonomous Community Coordination  Committee on July 25 they agreed to boost Málaga airport as International hub. CadenaSer informed last Sunday that Aena has been requested to keep this proposal in mind within the marketing plan to open new routes and continue to increase traffic and investments for Málaga airport. The idea is that Aena suggests Málaga airport for a home base to the international airlines they may meet with. This would mean a significant increase of traffic for the airport, which has availability to reach 30 million passengers per year.   Málaga Airport has availability for up…

Madrid airport strike called by Aena staff Standard

Madrid airport Terminal 4

The CGT-Aena union informed that they have registered prior notice about a Madrid airport strike called for August 29 and 31.They intend to start negotiations on the privatisation process “after a failure of dialogue with Aena”.They assured they have not received any answer either from the airport or from the Ministry. Thus “they are not confident that negotiations can be started”.The collectives who have been called are flaggers, doctors, firemen and passenger service staff from the operational security area. They work either for Aena or for Enaire.The stops have been fixed as follows: August 29: From 15:00 to 20:00 LT August 31:…

Gran Canaria airport works: finished the second phase Standard

Vehicles parked in front of a Gran Canaria airport’s entrance / Flickr - Håkan Dahlström

In September we informed that the first phase of the Gran Canaria airport works had been concluded. Last week Aena published another press release: The second phase is now finished too. The third and last phase is left.This way, the improved terminal started working on July 15th. It has 42,000 more square meters. On the first floor a new check-in area has been built. This new area has 18 counters which could increase up to 34 in the future. Also, there is a new security control zone with two double filters, a boarding lounge and shops. The intermediate floor has another boarding lounge, mainly…