Spanish Airports to Receive $413.3 Million for Modernisation

Spanish airports are set to get a facelift with the government approving investments to the tune of $413.3 million in addition to those programmed in the current five-year plan of Aena, known as DORA II, Airport Regulation Document 2022–2026. Aena is a state-owned company which manages 46 airports and 2 heliports in Spain.

These are investments that could not have been foreseen prior to the approval of DORA II and bring forward necessary actions that would in any case be carried out in the next period, DORA III (2027 to 2031).

Specifically, these investments are intended to adapt infrastructure to new regulatory requirements, enhance safety and cybersecurity and provide more robust facilities, generate efficiencies and improve the passenger experience while reducing the operational impact of terminal upgrades.

These investments are considered necessary and beneficial for the Spanish airport system as a whole and will enable progress in key projects at airports such Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández, Valencia, Bilbao, César Manrique-Lanzarote, Ibiza, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Menorca, Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna or Tenerife Sur.

Of the total allocation, $98.91 million will be spent on the ongoing remodelling of the terminal area at Palma de Mallorca Airport, in order to shorten execution timelines.

In addition, improvements to passenger service quality and security processes through the automation of screening using EDSCB (Explosive Detection System for Cabin Baggage equipment), which allows liquids and electronic devices to remain inside hand luggage, and ATRS (Automatic Tray Return System), will require an additional $101.26 million beyond what was planned under DORA II. A further $17.66 million will be allocated to operational and physical safety measures.

New regulatory requirements concerning information security risks with potential implications for aviation safety will also require cybersecurity investments totalling $73 million.

Additional Investments

The additional investments approved by the Council of Ministers on Monday also include $76.54 million for the digitalisation and automation of processes, and $8.24 million for the implementation of remote-controlled boarding bridges.

Furthermore, $15.31 million will be allocated in advance for the technical drafting of terminal area expansion projects scheduled for execution under DORA III (2027–2031).

In addition, Aena will invest $15.31 million in process electrification to support airport decarbonisation, and $7.06 million to comply with the requirements of Royal Decree 487/2022 on the prevention of legionellosis.

For the next investment period, DORA III (2027–2031), Aena is finalising its investment proposal for all Spanish airports, which it will put to consultation with the airlines, and which will represent the largest wave of airport investment in recent decades.

Expansion of Airport

It may be recalled that Spani’s Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility and the Government of Catalonia has given the green light last month to Aena’s plan to expand Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. This project combines the development of the intercontinental hub with the conservation of the La Ricarda lagoon.

The actions already planned and those that are now agreed upon, whose terms will be included in the airlines consultation process to be started in Aena’s next investment period, DORA 3 (2027-2031), will amount to an investment of approximately $3.77 billion by Aena.