Copyright majorcadailybulletin
The work on remodelling Palma Airport is scheduled to finish towards the end of 2026. Over the past twelve months or so, the criticisms of the Aena airports authority have intensified. These for an airport that now handles some 33 million passengers a year; in peak season, around 150,000 per day. Airport director Tomás Melgar, says: "This project is essential for us to adapt to changing times, but we are aware that it is a complex situation." The complexity has given rise to issues criticised by passengers, unions, business associations and political parties on both the right and the left: leaks, broken lifts, out-of-service escalators, cumbersome entry and exit routes, endless walks between security checkpoints and to boarding gates. The collapse of a section of wall from several metres high and the incident when debris crashed through a roof near baggage reclaim in July didn't result in injuries, but they were latched onto by critics. Aena attributed these episodes to subcontractors, who were duly penalised. President Prohens described Aena's management as "disastrous". She accused the airport operator of "using Son Sant Joan Airport as a cash register to fatten its coffers". The matters were raised in Congress and in the Senate. Gabriel Escarrer, the CEO of Meliá Hotels International, referred to the "chaotic and deteriorated" image of the airport. The president of the Confederation of Balearic Business Associations, Carmen Planas, said the situation was "deplorable". Ongoing problems have further fuelled demand for regional co-management of the airport. From the left opposition, Més presented a motion to the Balearic Parliament in September which called for co-management. This was supported by Prohens and the Partido Popular, who cited "flooding, construction site collapses, power outages during peak season, and complaints about workplace safety" as evidence of Aena's "deficient and unsustainable" management. Aena's vice-president, Javier Marín, has responded by saying: "We are carrying out works worth nearly 600 million euros at Spain's third largest airport without interrupting operations. We apologise for the inconvenience, but we believe that the management of the Aena team, both at the local level and at the corporate level, is very good." Marín stresses the key objective: "To offer a more modern, efficient airport, adapted to the needs of passengers, employees, and airlines, providing the quality service that Mallorca deserves."
