Canary Islands Government opposes AENA's 4% airport fee hike

The Canary Islands Government has once again voiced its opposition to the proposed 4.09% increase in airport fees by AENA, set to take effect in March. Citing the unique insular nature of the territory, where air transport is essential for its residents and the potential adverse impact on tourism, the islands' primary industry, the government has firmly rejected the price hike.

The Minister of Tourism, Jessica de León, emphasised that "Canary Islands must be treated as an exception due to its isolated nature, and it cannot be subject to the same terms as the national airport network, as stipulated by our Economic and Fiscal Regime (REF)."

This stance was communicated to AENA's President and CEO, Maurici Lucena, during a working meeting held last October. De León conveyed the necessity for exempting the Canary Islands from the proposed increase, highlighting that "airports in the Canary Islands are a necessity, and this price hike will ultimately affect residents and tourists alike."

Additionally, she pointed out that the REF is explicit in Article 4, stating that in order to achieve competitiveness for ports and airports compared to others that might be considered alternative due to geographical proximity, reductions or bonuses on port and airport fees will be established in the Canary Islands compared to the national rates, ensuring competitiveness with alternative ports and airports.

The Canary Islands Government views the announcement as ill-timed, given the current climate of uncertainty marked by inflationary fluctuations, the implementation of emission rights, and Germany's technical recession. The concern is that the proposed increase in fees to airlines will exacerbate economic challenges faced by both residents and visitors to the islands.