Airport operator Aena issued a tender on 9 October worth €16.6 million to resurface runway 04/22, add a new taxiway and reorganise aircraft stands at San Sebastián Airport (EAS). The works, scheduled between late 2028 and spring 2029, will require a complete runway closure of around 40 days during autumn 2028. While the project is years away, Aena says early notice allows airlines, tour operators and corporate travel planners to adjust network schedules well in advance. The Basque business community relies heavily on the airport’s links to Madrid and Barcelona for same-day meetings, and any prolonged closure will push traffic to Bilbao (BIO) and Biarritz (BIQ), both over an hour away by road. Key elements include new LED lighting, upgraded drainage, and a reconfigured apron to increase operational flexibility once the runway reopens. Aena will coordinate the shutdown with local authorities to provide alternative transport links, likely including shuttle buses to neighbouring airports. From a mobility perspective, companies with regional headquarters in Gipuzkoa should map contingency travel policies now. HR teams arranging future expatriate assignments to the area may need to revise relocation budgets to accommodate longer ground transfers during the 2028 works window. The tender is another sign of Spain’s post-pandemic airport-modernisation push, aimed at attracting higher-yield business traffic and preparing infrastructure for EES biometric processing. Similar runway projects are under way at Barcelona and Málaga, signalling potential future disruptions that mobility managers will have to navigate.
Source: Aena Press Office
