Only a few days after the Spanish government announced a privatization plan for the country’s airports, the autonomous communities, with Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands at the fore, have not been alone in voicing their criticism of the project. The Andalusian delegations of trade unions CCOO and UGT are also up in arms against the Government’s decision.
According to trade union sources, Madrid-Barajas, El Prat (Barcelona), Valencia, Alicante, Malaga, Tenerife Sur, Las Palmas, and Palma are the only profitable Spanish airports. Seville’s San Pablo Airport could also join the group, provided that it maintains passenger movements above the four million mark. In the case of Andalusia, privatization might endanger the future of smaller airports, such as that those of Cordova, Granada, Jerez, and Almeria, since they are all unprofitable.
Therefore, the trade unions advocate for maintaining a sole network of airports with the State controlling a majority stake, with the aim of allowing autonomous communities and local councils to participate in decision-making. In this way, the income of all Spanish airports would be channelled through one agency, thus guaranteeing equal conditions for all Spanish airport workers and investment in airport facilities.
