The Plenary of the Cabildo of Lanzarote has approved an institutional motion defended by the councilor spokesperson of the Coalición Canaria Group, Samuel Martín, in which the Government of Spain is urged to adopt, “immediately”, effective and legally viable measures that allow tackling the constant increase in the price of flights between the Canary Islands and the Peninsula. A situation that, despite the current 75% discount for residents, continues to hinder the right to mobility of the archipelago's citizens.
The motion highlights the “unjustified increase in air tickets” as one of the greatest grievances for the citizens of Lanzarote, despite the increase in the resident discount to 75%. In this sense, it is denounced that the PSOE's promise to implement a PSO to lower prices, launched in the middle of the 2023 electoral campaign, has turned out to be a “manipulation” as confirmed by the European Commission that the proposal never had “real basis or legal fit”.
Councilor Samuel Martín, who accused the PSOE of “deceiving the population” and of now voting against a plenary initiative that seeks the best for the Canarians, has stated that “this motion means defending the interests of the people of Lanzarote. Air connectivity is a fundamental pillar for our island, and the exorbitant increase in prices is a direct attack on our territorial equality and the economy of families and businesses. We cannot continue to tolerate this situation or more empty promises”.
The proposals of the Cabildo
The Cabildo of Lanzarote urges the Government of Spain to study and implement “viable and legally compatible alternatives to guarantee the affordability of air transport between Lanzarote and the Peninsula”. The proposals include establishing a system of subsidizable reference prices for residents, especially on high-demand routes; applying direct compensation funds for island travel for essential reasons (health, studies, conciliation) and negotiating with airlines tariff stabilization mechanisms in critical periods such as Christmas, Easter or summer.
Likewise, the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) is requested to open an investigation into the evolution of prices on air routes between the Canary Islands and the Peninsula, in the face of possible indications of abusive practices or indirect collusion.
The plenary agreement will be submitted to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, the CNMC, the Parliament of the Canary Islands, the Congress of Deputies, the Senate and the European Parliament, with the aim of obtaining the necessary support for a structural solution to the problem of air connectivity in the outermost regions such as Lanzarote.
