The associations Canarios sin Alas, Canarios por la Movilidad Justa, and Casa Canarias Barcelona held rallies this Saturday in Madrid and Barcelona under the slogan 'Returning home is not a privilege, but a right', to demand "fair and affordable" air connectivity between the Canary Islands and the mainland.
The mobilizations, postponed since last October 31st as a sign of respect and solidarity with the victims of the Urda train accident, respond to a demand that the associations have been presenting to public administrations for more than 15 years without, in their opinion, sufficient solutions being adopted.
"The Canary Islands are just a flight away. But for many, that flight is unattainable", reads the manifesto read during the rallies, as detailed in a statement by the association Canarios sin Alas.
The organizers denounce that the high price of tickets prevents numerous Canary Islander families from reuniting during Christmas or summer holidays and particularly hinders urgent travel due to illness or death of loved ones.
According to testimonies collected by the associations, some people have had to face tickets of up to 600 euros to say goodbye to a relative.
The associations recall that the current system of air transport subsidies recognizes a 75% reduction of the subsidizable fare for those who prove their residence in the Canary Islands, regardless of their place of birth.
However, Canary Islanders who move their residence to the mainland cease to meet this requirement and lose access to the aid, as do their relatives when they also do not meet the conditions to benefit from it.
"We are not asking for subsidies for residents to be eliminated. We are asking for a system to be reviewed that, while facilitating the mobility of some citizens, can turn the return home for others into an unaffordable expense," they argue.
For the associations, the problem is not just economic: "it is a matter of roots, family ties, and equal opportunities to maintain contact with one's land of origin".
Canary Islanders living abroad need to return during school holidays, at Christmas, Easter, or summer, precisely when prices tend to be highest.
And, unlike a tourist trip, many of these visits are due to family needs that cannot be postponed.
"We are not tourists"
"We are not tourists. We do not travel to the Canary Islands solely to enjoy a vacation. We return to embrace our parents, accompany our elders, care for our families, and pass on to our children the bond with their homeland," they argue.
The associations consider it necessary to review the subsidy mechanisms and study formulas that allow for containing fares, improving competition, and facilitating family travel, without harming the rights of current beneficiaries.
They recall that, after years of meetings with political representatives in the Canary Islands, Spain, and Brussels, they are still awaiting "effective measures" to reduce the cost of travel.
Therefore, they demand that political parties incorporate "concrete commitments" into their electoral programs, including price regulation or other measures that directly facilitate the return of Canary Islanders residing in the Peninsula.
Likewise, they urge the Government of the Canary Islands to take advantage of the upcoming regional budgets to promote solutions that contribute to reducing this economic distance.
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