Aena reiterates that it will not give in on the management of the airports: "It would be null"

MadridAena insists it will not budge on the transfer of airport management, including the management of El Prat Airport. In fact, when the expansion of the Catalan airport was announced, that issue was already shelved. The airport operator's position has remained unchanged for years, although it has opened the door to "greater coordination" with the autonomous communities and, therefore, with governments like the Generalitat (Catalan government). "The transfer of airport management would be null and void," declared Aena's president, Mauricio Lucena, this Thursday during a breakfast briefing in Madrid, an event he used to reiterate his support for the expansion of the Catalan airport. It's worth noting that in Catalonia, the possibility of a leading role for the Generalitat has always been an ambition of parties like ERC and Junts.

According to Lucena, this would make it impossible for the Spanish government, which owns 51 percent of the company's shares, to apply its criteria to private shareholders. "They would defend their shares tooth and nail, using every legal means available," predicted the president of Aena. Lucena added that Aena's structure and the regulatory framework "protect" the current model against requests to transfer the management of Barcelona-El Prat. In any case, just a few days ago, the government of Salvador Illa took a step forward with this idea of "coordination." The Catalan government has just approved the creation of the Airport Authority of Catalonia, as stipulated in the investiture agreement with the Republicans. It is expected to be a specialized body through which the Generalitat (Catalan government) will operate. It will promote its own policies to have "comprehensive governance" of the airport systemRegarding the clash with airlines over the increase in airport fees, Lucena argued that the companies cannot dictate a future in which it is uncertain whether they will be the main players, and described the debate as "sterile." Ryanair has been one of the companies that has most significantly raised the investment framework for the coming years.