Thousands of residents took to the streets of Barcelona, Ibiza Town and Palma de Mallorca on 21 September to oppose plans to lengthen runways and expand terminal capacity at El Prat, Ibiza and Son Sant Joan airports. Environmental groups, neighbourhood associations and hospitality workers marched under the slogan “Ni Un Metro Más” (“Not One More Metre”), arguing that overtourism, noise pollution and rising rents already jeopardise local quality of life. Aena, Spain’s airport operator, says the €2.4 billion investment package is crucial to meet projected passenger growth—up to 85 million travellers a year for Barcelona alone—and to capture more long-haul connections that corporate travellers demand. The projects include additional remote stands that would allow LCCs and wide-bodies to operate simultaneously, plus upgraded conference facilities positioned as a catalyst for MICE business. Protest organisers counter that pandemic-era traffic never fully rebounded outside peak summer months and that slot-coordination reforms or rail alternatives could spread demand more sustainably. They call for a moratorium pending an independent environmental impact assessment, threatening to escalate civil-disobedience actions that could disrupt construction timelines. For multinational companies basing Iberian hubs or data centres in Catalonia and the Balearics, the stakes are high: delayed capacity enhancements risk prolonging congestion, elevating air-fare volatility and limiting cargo belly-space. Mobility managers should monitor Aena’s shareholder meeting on 30 October, where the board is expected to decide whether to postpone tenders or push ahead, potentially provoking further social unrest and strike action among ground-handling staff.
Source: The Local Spain
