Authorities to establish new Catalan Airport Authority

The Catalan government approved the creation of a Catalan Airport Authority (AAC) this Wednesday, with the expectation that it will be "fully operational" by January 1, 2027.

Speaking with 3Cat, presidency minister Albert Dalmau called it a "step forward" towards being able to "participate in the management" of Catalan airports.

Government spokesperson and Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque, explained in a media briefing that within a "maximum" period of one month, a technical committee will be created under the coordination of Public Airports of Catalonia, which will be in charge of the new entity.

Within six months, the necessary law changes regulating Catalan airport infrastructures will be proposed.

Paneque explained that the AAC will be a public law entity with its own legal personality and "full capacity to plan, regulate and supervise" the powers of the Catalan government in airport matters.

Dalmau had said that the AAC will group together "all the powers that the Statute already recognizes" in airport matters, and according to him, the measure is part of an agreement with pro-independence left-wing Esquerra Republicana party.

The minister avoided confirming whether the creation of the new Airport Authority is intended to give Catalan institutions a majority in decision-making, and instead backed the role of the Catalan government to be to co-manage.

Meanwhile, the president of AENA, Spain's airport manager, said in an interview to Expansión newspaper, that the airport will not be able to continue growing at the current rate until the expansion works are concluded.

At the moment, the airport grows around 4 and 5% annually, as monthly figures show. However, forecasts expect 58 million passengers during 2025, surpassing its technical limit "forcing its efficiency protocols, using off-peak time slots for departures and arrivals, and different days," Maurici Lucena said.

He believes that airlines will need to start diverting routes to Girona and Reus' airports while the Barcelona airport expansion goes on.

New joint venture for Rodalies

Regarding the new joint venture for Catalonia's commuter rail network Rodalies, Dalmau indicated there would be an announcement in "a matter of days, if not weeks," regarding its constitution.

Initially, the establishment of the joint venture was to be completed before 2026, but it has already been delayed due to "agenda" issues.

Dalmau explained that the new commuter trains will arrive during this first quarter of 2026.