The Airline Association (ALA), the leading organization in the sector in Spain that brings together 85% of air traffic, asks the newly constituted new Government not to accept the proposal made by AENA to increase airport fees by 4.09% as of March 1, 2024. This increase requires prior approval by the Council of Ministers of an exception to the provisions of the regulatory framework.
Without this approval, it is estimated that the tariff increase as of March 1, 2024 would be limited to 1.5%, instead of the 4.09% proposed by AENA, which, in the absence of a desired tariff freeze, would positively contribute to consolidating the sector's recovery.
ALA argues that "although the air traffic data currently invite optimism and anticipate a very positive year, there are still many uncertainties in the geopolitical and economic sphere that overshadow the horizon."
The law establishes that the Council of Ministers, after a report from the Government Delegate Commission for Economic Affairs, will assess the need for, in the event that the cost adjustment index for reasons not attributable to the operator exceeds 1% annually, a higher value could be accepted or, on the contrary, due to reasons of general interest or the evolution of economic activity, agree that said impact be assumed by the airport operator.
The Resolution of the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) on the index applicable to airport fees for 2024 recognized a value of 3.5% for said index, in accordance with the proposal made by AENA, but also transferred said resolution to the Ministry, in order to seek prior approval from the Council of Ministers.
Therefore, ALA argues "the moderation of airport fee increases for 2024, taking into account the robustness of AENA's financial results, including a net profit of 1,139 million euros in the first nine months of 2023, would have a very limited impact on the airport operator, but would help to further consolidate the recovery of air traffic" in our country and, with it, tourism, connectivity and economic activity.
