ACI EUROPE rebuts IATA call for 22% cut in AENA charges

ACI EUROPE has strongly rejected a call from IATA for AENA to reduce airport charges by 22 per cent between 2027 and 2031 while maintaining its €13 billion investment plan.

The association argued that airline claims overlook a decade of declining charges. Between 2015 and 2025, fees paid by airlines for the use of AENA airports fell by 7 per cent in nominal terms and by 36 per cent in real terms. Over the same period, airfares in Spain increased by 40 per cent since 2019, which ACI EUROPE said demonstrates that reductions in airport charges are not passed through to consumers.

AENA’s proposed investment programme will focus on modernising infrastructure and expanding capacity across the Spanish airport network. According to ACI EUROPE, this €13 billion plan cannot be delivered without adjusting user charges to reflect inflationary pressures and capital costs. The operator has proposed an annual increase of 3.8 per cent from 2027 to 2031, equivalent to 43 cent per passenger.

ACI EUROPE also challenged IATA’s traffic growth assumptions. While IATA forecasts average annual passenger growth of 3.6 per cent to 2031, AENA projects 1.3 per cent, citing capacity constraints at several airports, ongoing supply chain and aircraft maintenance issues, and the normalisation of traffic growth amid market maturity, shifting demand patterns and ESG pressures.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, said IATA’s position fails to recognise the financial realities facing airport operators. He stated that AENA, like other major European operators, is entering a substantial capital investment cycle critical to Spain’s and Europe’s competitiveness and connectivity. He argued that after a decade of declining charges, increases are unavoidable.

Jankovec added that airlines’ objections are primarily focused on protecting profitability, noting recent projections of strong financial performance for European carriers.

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