HE State prepares a new impetus for the liberalization of the management of air control towers The Ministry of Transport has opened a public consultation for the privatization of the towers of Spain’s seven major airports (South Tenerife, North Tenerife, Malaga, Gran Canaria, Bilbao, Santiago and Palma de Mallorca). this kind for more than ten years.
Customization process completed It was harshly criticized by trade union organizations and some political parties.. The ERC, Bildu and BNG submitted an illegal proposal to Congress last week to stop the operation, which was eventually amended and agreed with the PSOE to soften the deal and leave it with a request to the Government to review the ministerial order. Preparing to activate the process.
The Ministry of Transport downplays the importance of this transactional proposal agreed between the socialists and the three nationalist parties, noting that: This future ministerial order is already under review and therefore decided to open a public consultation process to which it is not affiliated.
Faced with pressure to stop privatization, the Airlines they rush to apply pressure in the opposite direction and openly defending the operation. The Airline Association (ALA), the employers’ association that brings together Iberia, Ryanair, easyJet or Air Europa among sixty other companies operating in the Spanish market, urges the Government not only not to paralyze but even accelerate the process. up to the maximum to make it effective as soon as possible.
“It is imperative start this new process as soon as possibleBecause it won’t be until 2025, or even 2026 when it’s complete,” points out to the ALA in the claims presented in the framework of the public consultation filed by the Ministry under Raquel Sánchez. “The experience of the first round of liberalization is that this transition is a complex process and takes time.” Indeed, Since the air control services (ATC) of twelve airports were contracted in 2011, new private operators began operating them in 2013, two years later.
Who are the airline bosses prefers to talk about “liberalization” rather than “privatization”argues that previous experience of transferring management to private operators has increased the efficiency of the service and facilitated the freeze of air taxes since 2015 and the limitation of airfare prices while increasing the flight offer in Spain.
With calculation data from the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC), ALA, Between 2012 and 2017, the cost of transit services at airports decreased by 60% at airports with privatized towers.At airports with ongoing air control, state-owned Enaire decreased by only 15% over the same period.
The airline employers association also advocates for the necessary legislative changes to allow Enaire to participate in control tower management tenders, as well as liberalize not only air control (ATC) but also air traffic services (ATS). , privatization is currently prohibited by law.
aenaThe Spanish airport operator also showed its strong support. entered the new privatization process a few weeks ago and highlighted its impact on cost savings for airlines and passengers. Aena is not responsible for performing these air control tasks, but is very directly affected by these movements as it is for obvious reasons the most heavily used user of these tasks (also indirectly, because its largest group is Enaire public group). shareholder with 51% of the capital, person responsible for air control).