canary islands airport management bilateral meeting april

Canary Islands Push for Airport Control in Key April Meeting

Key Bilateral Meeting Set for April

The Canary Islands and the Spanish government will meet in the archipelago on 10 April for a Bilateral Commission to address the Autonomous Community’s participation in the management of Canarian airports. The regional government considers this meeting crucial to accelerating a process which, in its view, must not be delayed any further.

Regional Government’s Stance on Airport Control

Following Tuesday’s meeting of the Governing Council, the spokesman for the Canary Islands government, Alfonso Cabello, argued that the archipelago must be able to intervene in Aena’s decisions on fees, investments, planning, and operational aspects such as opening and closing hours. This demand is based on Article 161 of the Statute of Autonomy and the precedent of talks opened by the central government with the Basque Country.

Ministry of Transport Tempers Expectations

However, the Ministry of Transport has played down these expectations and made clear that airport co-management as such “is not possible”. It also denied that an agreement of this type exists with the Basque Country, although Cabello asserts it is already a reality. According to the department led by Óscar Puente, what can be considered is an instrument for collaboration, coordination, and participation in areas such as airport planning, connectivity, service quality, or environmental policies, always without altering Aena’s competencies.

“Our Red Line is the Statute of Autonomy”

The regional government remains firm in its position. “Our red line is the Statute of Autonomy,” concluded Cabello, setting the stage for a pivotal negotiation next month that will shape the future of air transport in the islands.

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