The president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria regrets that the Council of Ministers ignored “all the Canarian institutions”
Demands that “the Government of Spain recognizes the uniqueness of the Canary Islands and the strategic nature of its airports and air mobility”
“The profits obtained on the islands are used for large works such as the expansion of the Barajas international terminal,” he criticizes.
The president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, categorically rejects the application in the Canarian airports of the 4,09% increase in AENA rates approved by the Council of Ministers this week and which will come into force in March if The National Markets and Competition Commission confirms it.
Morales regrets the adoption of this measure "despite the fact that it had been requested by all the Canarian institutions that it not be applied so as not to increase the cost of transfers to our islands" and demands "that the Government of Spain recognizes once and for all the uniqueness of Canary Islands and the strategic nature of its airports and its air mobility", as well as "that we act accordingly, giving special treatment to these Canary Islands infrastructures."
Furthermore, the president of the island Government demands “that the Canarian institutions be counted on for decision-making and for the management of their airports. The councils and the Autonomous Community, with the participation of the affected town councils, should manage these strategic spaces for the islands. This is done with ports, through the Port Authority.”
The president of the Cabildo criticizes that “beyond the effects on the increase in ticket prices, it seems that the Government of Spain still does not understand the uniqueness of the Canary Islands, our ultra-perificiality. Air mobility is basic in our archipelago and is essential for tens of thousands of workers, students, businessmen, etc., who have to use the plane to travel between islands or with the peninsula, for their academic, professional or leisure activities. Ignoring this reality and treating Canarian airports the same as those in the rest of the State is a serious mistake and a disdain for our island reality.”
Morales specifies that the increase “represents an increase in collection of 19,3 million euros by AENA at the Canarian airports. In the case of Gran Canaria, it will be 5,5 million euros, according to the data of passengers registered on the islands in 2023. It will be necessary to assess what percentage of increase will be applied to flights with the Canary Islands, since bonuses are applied. between 15% and 70% depending on the flights, for reasons of general interest, which mitigate the effect of the increase,” argues President Morales.
“However,” he adds, “it seems that AENA is not happy with the rates it has been charging and with the commercial and other business at the airports. The increase in the cost of travel for passengers directly affects the inhabitants of the islands, as well as their main economic activity, tourism, with an increase in rates that has no impact on the improvement of facilities or investments in infrastructure. airports, except in the case of Madrid, where the Government of Spain announced a few days ago an investment of 2.400 billion euros for its expansion."
Finally, he points out that “it also happens that the Canarian airports, and in particular that of Gran Canaria, are among the most profitable in Spain, with Gran Canaria being the third in terms of volume of travelers, therefore, While rates are raised linearly throughout the territory, the benefits obtained on the islands are used for large works such as the expansion of the Barajas international terminal, which does not benefit the citizens of Gran Canaria in any way.
