The Spanish government approves the DORA III with money for the first steps to expand El Prat
The document provides 191.9 million for the drafting of the project or future environmental compensations
MadridThe money to expand El Prat airport was left out of the Second Airport Regulation Document (DORA II) for the 2021-2026 period because the project derailed due to the lack of consensus between the Generalitat and the State. Five years later, the scenario is different: with the project back on the table, DORA III (2027-2031) incorporates a portion of the money that will be allocated to this expansion of El Prat, although not the most significant part. In fact, the money that will be allocated during this period (191.9 million euros) will be used for "preparatory actions". That is to say, not for the expansion works, as explained by the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, in a press conference this Tuesday. Among these actions are the drafting of the project and environmental compensations in the event that the expansion goes ahead. Puente made it clear in the press conference that "no runways are being touched" nor is there an "expansion of capacity" for any airport in the State.
Specifically, the Council of Ministers this Tuesday gave the green light to the plan that includes the regulated investments for State airports for the 2027-2031 period (it is the calendar that encompasses the Airport Regulation Document). In total, there are 9.991 billion euros of regulated investment. This investment is linked to aeronautical activity and, specifically, to the so-called airport taxes. Finally, they remain almost frozen and will increase by 0.33% per year, a figure lower than what Aena proposed (3.8%), which as the airport manager must execute the investment. The debate caused a clash with the airlines. Approximately 3 billion in non-regulated investment (usually linked to commercial activity) will be added to this item. Of all of them (almost 13 billion euros), 1.765 billion will be allocated to El Prat airport.
1.765 billion for El Prat
In this DORA III, 191.9 million will be allocated to the expansion. Aena plans to allocate about 3.2 billion euros to the project over the coming years (taking into account DORA IV and DORA V), as revealed by the airport manager a year ago.
The 1.765 billion euros will be used, mainly, to reconfigure terminals T1 and T2, improve T2 and its parking facilities, and work on the airfield and apron: actions on runway 06R/24L, rapid exit on runway 02/20, and "expansion of the runway and satellite associated with the new operations," as detailed by the ministry. Aena insists that this last reference to the expansion is for matters such as the drafting of the project, but not for the actual construction work for the runway or satellite terminal expansion.
The start of the works, in case the project goes ahead, is expected for 2029. It is, however, the "optimistic" calendar with which Aena is working, as confessed by its president, Maurici Lucena. For the moment, the machinery has been set in motion to advance in the drafting of the master plan, which sets the foundations of the infrastructure, and the environmental assessment of the project, which will need the endorsement of Brussels.
Pressure from the business community and clash with Sumar
On the other hand, institutions such as the Chamber, which in recent years has pressured for the expansion to be carried out, demand that Aena and the Spanish government accelerate the investment so that the works begin to be executed before 2031. The total investment for Catalonia will be 1.963 billion euros. This means that 89.9% will go to El Prat and the rest to the airports managed by the State: Girona - Costa Brava, Reus and Sabadell.
In the opposite direction, Sumar, the minority partner within the Spanish executive, has spoken out, rejecting not only the expansion of El Prat, but also the DORA III as a whole. "It consolidates an airport growth model based on more emissions and more tourist pressure," party sources denounce.
Other airports
The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, defended this Tuesday the need to adapt Spanish airports to future demand, specifically due to the impact of international tourism. "We must transform and prepare the Spanish airport system to respond to future demand, taking into account that the network [of airports in the State] is expected to exceed 358 million passengers in 2031," said Puente in a press conference.
It is this tourist pressure that explains the funds that will be allocated to airports in territories such as the Balearic Islands (1,000 million), the Canary Islands (1,807 million for the entire archipelago) or even Madrid-Barajas, the best-off, with a total of 4,477 million euros. An expansion is also planned in the Spanish capital. In the Valencian Community, 1,270 million will be allocated. In fact, the bulk of the investment relies on the arrival of travelers.
Infrastructure management
In parallel to DORA III, the Spanish airport manager is also affected by the debate on airport management. It is not only Catalonia that claims to have a role in control, but also the Basque Country or the Balearic Islands more recently. Aena has always said that the management of the airports is "exclusively" theirs, and has only been open to deepening "coordination" with the territories. How? Through agreements like the one reached by the central and Basque governments regarding the airports in the Basque Country last March.