The technical commission that will work on the expansion of Barcelona-El Prat airport will meet this Tuesday. Its objective is to have a diagnosis and recommendations on the best way to expand this Catalan airport.
The long-debated expansion of Barcelona El Prat Airport is once again under consideration as Aena, the airport’s operator, sees a potential breakthrough following the change in Catalonia’s government.
Earlier, Aena President Maurici Lucena expressed optimism that the recent shift in leadership, with Salvador Illa as the new president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, could revive discussions about the long-stalled project.
“There are reasons for optimism with the new government,” Lucena stated during his address at the La Caixa Foundation Chair.
His remarks come after the previous administration, led by Pere Aragonés, rejected the proposed expansion due to environmental concerns.
“I notice a change of pace, but Aena has to be cautious because until a high-level political decision is made, we are a passive actor. It is a decision of the Government of Spain and the Government of Catalonia,” Lucena added.
Inaugurated in the year 1918, Barcelona-El Prat Airport has seen multiple expansions and improvements over the years to meet the growing demand for passenger and freighters. It has been recognized as one of the most efficient airports in Europe.
Barcelona-El Prat is a crucial hub for travelers coming from and going to various destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. BCN has two terminals main passengers, each designed to provide an efficient and comfortable travel experience.
When we talk about the capacity, by 2023, it received almost 50 million passengers. And between January and August of this 2024, it already reaches 36.8 million visitors.
The proposed expansion, initially dismissed in September 2021 due to its potential impact on the protected natural area of La Ricarda, aims to transform Barcelona El Prat into a hub for intercontinental flights and increase the number of daily operations.
Could have been done much earlier, but the lack of political consensus between the central government and the Generalitat previously derailed the project, which was seen as vital for the region’s growth and competitiveness.
Lucena has earlier emphasized that the expansion of Barcelona El Prat is critical not only for Catalonia but also for the entire nation, stating,
“Barcelona, Catalonia, and Spain need the airport to be expanded if we want to continue generating prosperity. The Spanish Government is very clear about this, and in my opinion, the expansion announced by the new honorable president of the Generalitat is excellent news.”
This project aligns with Aena’s broader strategy to enhance capacity across other key Spanish airports, including Madrid, Tenerife, Valencia, and Ibiza.
“All Spanish airports have the capacity to accommodate future demand or are already expanding, except, unfortunately, Barcelona,” Lucena noted.
Earlier, Salvador Illa had announced that a technical committee would convene on October 8 to assess the project, with a target to complete the expansion by early 2025.
Given the environmental complexities involved surrounding the upgrade project, Lucena stressed that the expansion should be designed by experts to meet all necessary criteria.
"In my opinion, the political reorientation on the expansion recently announced by the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Salvador Illa , is excellent news," he added.
Lucena assured that he has "no doubt that the Barcelona airport expansion project "will finally be approved.
"But yes, it must be designed by the experts due to its technical and environmental complexity."
In addition to this, Lucena highlighted Aena’s commitment to sustainability, revealing plans to incentivize airlines to decarbonize their operations.
“Aena, in addition to being ‘net zero’ in emissions by 2030, is going to help aircraft with a framework of incentives so that they decarbonize as quickly as possible,” he stated.
Barcelona is not only a major transportation hub but also one of Spain’s most important tourism destinations, drawing millions of visitors every year.
The proposed expansion of El Prat Airport would significantly boost the city’s capacity to welcome even more visitors, further solidifying its status as a premier gateway to Spain and a leading destination for leisure and business travel.
To pass the expansion project of the BCN airport, Illa needs the support of pro-independence Esquerra and the left-wing Comuns, the two parties that supported his bid for the presidency.
Display Picture Courtesy: Javier Ortega Figueiral
