The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, met on the morning of this Friday, March 31, at the headquarters of the Presidency of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with the executive president of Iberia, Javier Sánchez, and the president of Iberia Express, Carlos Gómez.
In the meeting, the directors explained to the president "their commitment to the destination with an increase in seats between 2023 and 2025 of 20%, with the forecast that ticket prices will continue to fall." In addition to betting on "a reinforcement of sustainability in order for Spain to become a world leader in the production of sustainable aviation fuels, called SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel)."
"We agree on the great opportunity that the Canary Islands have with this commitment to sustainability"
The presidents of Iberia and Iberia Express agreed with Torres on "the great opportunity that the Canary Islands have with this commitment to sustainability", taking into account that "the company's intention is to work jointly with the producing companies and the authorities of the islands", in order to "ensure that a SAF production plant is installed in the archipelago".
Something that "would place the Canary Islands at the forefront of the generation of these essential fuels for the decarbonization of aviation." A possibility to "create employment and new economic opportunities", they add.
"To create employment and new economic opportunities"
Torres has insisted that "the Canary Islands needs maximum air and sea connectivity with Europe", while "maintaining a growing commitment to sustainability". The head of the Executive recalled that "the islands have advanced with the exemption until 2030 of carbon emission taxes between the entire territory and the rest of the State. Also, "with the subsidies they provide to airlines that use sustainable fuels".
"We must be clear: this is the future, not oil or diesel, but wind energy, geothermal energy, photovoltaic energy and others", he remarked. He also recalled that from the Canary Islands "a strong commitment has been made to the green transition in this legislature, approving a law against Climate Change. In the coming years, "we will use those clean fuels in airplane flights because it is an ethical and environmental commitment, something for which these islands are offered as a place to generate SAF because the tourism of the future must be and will also be sustainable", he added.
"The future is wind energy, geothermal energy, photovoltaic energy, among others"
Sánchez, has shown "the commitment of Iberia to the use of aircraft that consume 30% less carbon dioxide, generating 50% less noise." He also highlighted "the importance of the meeting with Torres, reiterating Iberia's commitment to the Canary Islands", to which he adds that "it is unbreakable, regardless of the potential acquisition of Air Europa, which would reinforce connectivity and would never be detrimental to the current situation", he pointed out.
For the president of the Canary Islands "the announcement that the seats that the company will offer with the islands will increase by 20% between 2023 and 2025 is crucial", remarking that it is "something very positive because of the increase in connectivity and because it will mean more employment". In addition, Torres has valued "this data and the fact that, if compared with the summer of the pre-pandemic year, for this summer period of 2023 Iberia "has planned 1.8 million seats".
