What’s On The Horizon For: Aena

Representatives from Aena, the number one airport management company in the world, told Routes about recent market success and how it plans to increase operations across its airport portfolio.

With a total network of 46 airports, Aena welcomed more than 283 million passengers in 2023, an increase of 16.2% compared to 2022 and above pre-pandemic levels. With most of its airports located across Spain, Aena recorded an all-time high number of passengers (28.2 million), aircraft movements (238,062) and cargo (108,380 tons) in May 2024.

Speaking to Routes in Aarhus, Irene Gracia, head of the aviation market and international relations division at Aena, mentioned its aim to develop traffic across Asia. Having already experienced growth in this market, as evidenced by new routes such as Shenzhen Airlines’ nonstop service from Shenzhen to Barcelona in 2023, Aena also attended Routes Asia 2024 to meet with further Chinese carriers.

Aena has also seen growth across the Americas with United Airlines’ summer program increasing its flights from Spain by 30% in 2024 including the resumption of Costa del Sol and New York-Newark Airport, connections between Barcelona, Chicago and Washington, Palma de Mallorca to New York and a new service between Barcelona and San Francisco.

Regarding European route development, airlines continue to see the potential in Aena airports with easyJet opening its fourth Spanish base at Alicante Airport (ALC) in April 2024 and airBaltic launching a new seasonal base in Gran Canaria during December 2023.

Juan Alberto Martín, head of the airline customer relations division at Aena, told Routes its focus is on attracting dedicated and tailor-made airline operations having launched a new incentive program for its smaller airports with under three million annual passengers. Martín also said: “The arrival of Airbus A321 will be a gamechanger for Spain and will allow further connection from North Atlantic and Middle East.”

Speaking on Aena’s attendance at Routes Europe 2024 Gracia said: “Routes events are excellent; they allow us to meet with all the airlines in two to three days that we wouldn’t be able to meet normally.” Martín also spoke of the power of attending with Aena’s tourism partners: “To show the destination and Aena together is very important to airlines because they can see how closely we work together, coordinate and can provide a wider proposal to them.”