The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, stated this Wednesday that he trusts that the Council of Ministers will validate the DORA III investment plan throughout September, which contemplates an investment volume close to 13 billion euros in the network of Spanish airports for the period 2027-2031.
Puente made these statements during his visit to the new photovoltaic park at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, where he emphasized that airport fees in Spain are "tremendously competitive," placing them in a better position than those of other European countries, and highlighted Aena's role as "the world's leading airport manager."
According to the minister, the level of airport fees contributes to "Spain being a country with a volume of travelers higher than the rest," while he stressed its "attractiveness as a country" for international air traffic.
"In the coming weeks, the Council of Ministers will approve DORA III and will establish the parameters that will allow the airports in the Aena network to receive the necessary investments with the requirements of quality, safety, and capacity," Puente reiterated, emphasizing that the document will set the regulatory and investment framework for the coming years.
The words of the Transport Minister fit with the planned schedule for this new airport investment program, given that the final text must be submitted to the Council of Ministers and obtain its approval before September 30 to come into effect in the 2027-2031 horizon.
In June, the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) proposed in a report an annual reduction of airport fees of 0.59% during the period 2027-2031, a recommendation that clashes with the 3.82% increase requested by Aena. For its part, airlines, grouped in the ALA association, demand an even greater reduction of 4.9%.
In a recent interview granted to Europa Press, Puente already defended the urgency of advancing DORA III in a scenario of high saturation in Spanish airports, admitting that "the seams are already very close to the limit" and using the Madrid aerodrome as an example.