The clash between the Canary Islands Parliament and Aena has intensified following the approval this Wednesday of a non-binding resolution against the 6,3% increase in airport fees planned for 2026. The decision, supported by the main political groups except the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), highlights the political and social discontent with a management model that—according to the island's representatives—"generates record profits without taking into account the unique characteristics of the territory."
Underlying the tension is also the pressure from shareholders. TCI Fund Management, the British activist fund led by Chris Hohn and Aena's largest private shareholder with around 10%, has been a leading advocate for maximizing returns for investors, urging the company to increase dividends and fees following the post-pandemic traffic recovery. The Canary Islands Parliament, on the other hand, demands that connectivity needs and the islands' institutional participation in decision-making be prioritized.
“The Canary Islands cannot be a mere number in Aena’s profit and loss accounts,” said Jonathan Martín (CC), who recalled that the airport operator, with 51% state participation through Enaire, obtained 1.934 billion euros in profit in 2024, 18,6% more than the previous year.
The agreement, approved by 43 votes to 22, not only rejects the fee increase but also calls for the initiation of talks within the Canary Islands-State Bilateral Commission to guarantee regional participation in airport management. For parties such as ASG and the PP, the tariff increase threatens territorial cohesion and the economic balance between the capital and non-capital islands.
The debate reflects a growing divide between the stock market logic that has dominated Aena since its IPO in 2015 — in which TCI has been a key player — and the island reality of an outermost region that depends almost exclusively on air transport.
While the British fund celebrates improved margins and the return to extraordinary dividends, the Canary Islands parties denounce a "colonial" tariff policy and a model that relegates the islands to the role of passive contributor to the manager's profits.
Aena, for its part, argues that the updated fees are a response to inflation and the need to finance committed investments in airports such as Gran Canaria, Tenerife South, and Lanzarote. But in the Canary Islands, political consensus is unusual: airports should not only be a source of revenue for the markets, but also a strategic infrastructure that guarantees the right to mobility.
