Catalan Government preparing plan to manage El Prat airport

The Catalan Minister for Territory and Sustainability, Josep Rull, announced yesterday that the Government will approve a strategic aviation plan as a response to the “lack of reaction and passivity” of the Spanish State with respect to Barcelona airport through its airport management company Aena, most evident in the strike by security workers this summer and the little investment prior to 2021: 7% of the total investment in airport infrastructure will go to El Prat, while Madrid’s Barajas airport will receive 20%.

“Aena represents a very considerable obstacle to Barcelona airport’s capacity for expansion,” said Rull, criticising the State’s centralised airport system as being “aimed at fostering a network with a single reference airport, which is Barajas”.

The Minister made these statements after presenting an evaluation report which found that El Prat contributes 55% of Aena’s profits and receives only 7% of the State’s airport investment, while Madrid receives 20% of the investment and contributes 4% to profits.

The Catalan Government has therefore decided to stop playing “notary” and “take the initiative”, which will comprise drafting a strategic aviation plan within the framework of a Catalonia “with full capacity to decide for itself” as of next October 1.