Spanish airports set to increase fees

The Spanish airport operator, Aena, looks set to increase airport handling fees, which had previously been frozen.

The current plan is to increase rates by 4.09% this year, and again by 0.54% in 2025, this is after the rates had been frozen for a decade.

Aena is putting the increases down to the higher costs they are facing caused by inflation and also the higher expense derived from the higher expected volume of passengers.

The National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) has already authorised the airport manager’s proposal to raise the P index. Aena has taken into account the cost of personnel and the services it provides at its airports to estimate the rate increase.

The operators do not agree with the increases. They already went on a warpath this year with Ryanair leading the way due to the increase of 4.09%. It remains to be seen if they will do the same in 2025. The increases, after all, are passed on to the consumer who sees their tickets become more expensive.

Despite this, the truth is that rates in Spain are lower than in the rest of Europe. The comparison of the large Spanish airports, Madrid and Barcelona, ​​with the rest of the continent’s large hubs reveals rates are 60% cheaper here.