Parallel to Aena’s announcement, environmental and neighbourhood groups filled Barcelona’s Gran Via on Sunday to oppose the El Prat enlargement. El País estimates attendance at roughly 5,000, while organisers claim twice that number. Protesters argue that adding a runway will boost tourism-driven rent inflation and carbon emissions in a city already struggling with overtourism. They called on the Spanish government to redirect funds toward rail links and social housing instead. The rally remained peaceful but forced police to divert traffic and led to minor delays on airport shuttle buses. No flights were cancelled, yet unions representing ground staff warned that escalating civil-society opposition could spill over into strike action during the peak Christmas travel season. For global-mobility and travel managers, the demonstration signals potential social-licence risks around major infrastructure projects. Assignees based in Barcelona may also face increased commuting times on protest days, and companies should monitor announcements from grassroots platforms when planning large off-sites.
Source: El País
