AENA, operator of 46 Spanish airports, secured approval from the CNMC for a 6.5% rise in maximum passenger fees to €0.68 for 2026, the largest increase in a decade. The company now proposes annual hikes of €0.43 per passenger from 2027 to 2031, equating to 3.8% excluding inflation, to fund a €12.9 billion investment plan focused on terminal upgrades, capacity expansion, and safety amid projected traffic growth to 1.69 billion passengers over the period.
Chairman and CEO Maurici Lucena described the plan as a “firm commitment to passengers and airlines in an environment of highly stressed infrastructures,” emphasizing that investments have been “unfrozen” after prior regulatory freezes and that charges will remain “highly competitive,” adjusted lower for smaller airports. AENA consulted airlines for five months before submitting the DORA 2027-2031 proposal to the DGAC and CNMC, with final approval expected from the Council of Ministers by September.
Opposition mounts from IATA, ALA, and Ryanair, who label the hikes excessive and unjustified. IATA’s Rafael Schvartzman accused AENA of “gaming the regulatory system” through underestimated traffic forecasts—3.6% annual growth per Steer and CEPA studies versus AENA’s 1.3%—yielding excessive returns. Airlines counter-propose a 4.9% annual fee cut, arguing it sustains €10 billion in investments at a 6.35% return while boosting competitiveness. Critics warn higher fees will raise airline costs, fares, and erode Spain’s tourism edge against Italy and Portugal’s fee freezes.