Aena's management has reiterated in Ibiza that the planned works at the island's airport will not lead to an increase in the number of operations per hour, as the current capacity of the airfield will not be modified.
The company held a meeting this Thursday with the president of the Consell d'Eivissa, Vicent Marí; the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Jaume Bauzá; representatives of the Social Dialogue Table, Tourism Promotion, the city councils and the Mobility Table, to delve into the details of the remodeling project, scheduled to start in 2030.
According to the airport manager in an informative note, during the meeting the main elements of the remodeling were presented and the questions of the participants were answered with the aim of clearing up any doubts about the action.
Aena has specified that the reform seeks to adapt the facilities to the new security requirements set by European regulations and modernize the airport to optimize operational processes, raising the quality and safety standards of the service for residents, tourists, airlines and staff.
Among the most relevant actions is the implementation of state-of-the-art automated systems in security filters, which will allow travelers to keep liquids and electronic devices inside hand luggage, speeding up controls and increasing comfort.
These equipment require a larger surface area, which forces the terminal building to be expanded. This is an intervention derived from the regulations that will directly impact the improvement of the passenger experience.
Likewise, Aena has indicated that it is essential to gain space in the terminal to separate Schengen and non-Schengen passenger flows and enable a new centralized passport control.
In this context, it recalled the project to build a new pier reserved exclusively for flights originating from or destined outside the Schengen area which, combined with centralized control, will optimize operations, improve user experience and promote greater punctuality in departures and arrivals.
The adaptation to European regulations will also entail a complete renovation of the boarding lounge, where the number of gates will be increased to a total of 32.
In this way, maintaining the same demand but with more available surface area, both the Schengen and non-Schengen areas will have the necessary boarding gates to provide the service with adequate levels of quality and safety.
The plan also includes the installation of eight new boarding bridges that will notably improve the comfort and quality of the service by facilitating direct and more comfortable access between the terminal and the aircraft.
The remodeling of the boarding lounge will also include the comprehensive updating of the services in this area, such as restrooms, rest areas, children's areas, specific areas for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM), as well as commercial premises and their support areas.
Special focus will also be placed on inter-island flight operations, with the intention of reinforcing their agility and adapting them to their particularities.
Aena has recalled that the last major modernization project at Eivissa airport was developed between 2008 and 2013.
Government and Council demand that air capacity not be increased
During the meeting, both the Consell d'Eivissa and the Govern insisted that the remodeling should not translate into an increase in air capacity and called for investment planning "focused exclusively on improving the user experience, accessibility, and sustainability."
Bauzá positively assessed the meeting and asked the airport operator to adapt its projects to the containment course set by the regional executive, the island institution, and the town councils, as indicated by his Ministry in a statement.
"We appreciate the presence of the executive vice president and his entire team on the island today, because it opens an essential channel of dialogue on such a significant matter," the councilor stressed.
Similarly, he emphasized the need for investments to focus on improving the user experience, accessibility, and sustainability, rejecting any increase in passengers during high season.
According to Bauzá, the future of the islands' infrastructure must be defined by considering the reality of the territory. "We are sure that, through institutional collaboration, we will be able to find the balance that the island of Eivissa needs," he added.
Govern and Consell have thanked Aena for traveling to Eivissa to present the planning for the es Codolar terminal and to gather contributions and proposals from the island's social and economic representatives.