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Plans to invest nearly $5 billion in expanding Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport are moving forward as tensions with airlines over airport charges escalate.

The latest news on airports globally, with updates on financing, infrastructure expansion and sustainability initiatives.

The latest news on airports globally, with updates on financing, infrastructure expansion and sustainability initiatives.

Airlines are calling for a reduction in Spanish airport charges in response to Spanish airport operator AENA’s five-year investment plan.

Spanish airport operator Aena has agreed to buy a majority stake in a new holding company that owns and manages Leeds Bradford Airport.

Ryanair plans to cut 1.2 million seats, or 10% of its capacity, across regional Spain for the summer 2026 season and will end all flights to and from Asturias Airport, escalating its dispute with airport operator Aena over what it calls “uncompetitive” fee increases.

From Routes World in Hong Kong, Aena outlines its plans to boost long-haul connectivity from Spain’s mid-sized airports.

Ryanair says it plans to cut its winter 2025-26 capacity in Spain by more than one million seats, citing what it calls “excessive and uncompetitive” charges.

The latest news on airports globally, with updates on financing, infrastructure expansion and sustainability initiatives.

Executives at two European airline companies and a major airport operator said that SAF availability and affordability will be critical to reaching net zero.

Andalucía is emphasizing sustainability as a cornerstone of its tourism and aviation strategy as delegates gather for Routes Europe 2025 in Seville, Spain.

Spain welcomed more than 1 million visitors from Mexico in 2024, setting a milestone for travel between the two countries as airline capacity hit record levels.

Spain’s airport operator Aena has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion in the Canary Islands’ airports to enhance infrastructure and services.

Ryanair and airport operator Aena are locked in a dispute over airport charges.

Spain’s capacity is projected to hit all-time-high levels during the summer 2025 season, following a record year for passenger traffic in 2024.

Representatives from Aena told Routes about recent market success and how it plans to increase operations across its airport portfolio.

Airport operator Aena says 2,950 routes are scheduled to be operated from its network of airports during the summer schedule.

Airport director José Antonio Álvarez explains more about Madrid’s expansion plans.

Aena is aiming to “reconstruct the dense network operated at our airports in 2019” throughout its portfolio.

The city is keen to get airlines back after the pandemic and return to its 2019 traffic levels.

For the first time a new award at the World Routes Marketing Awards will recognise the contribution of top-performing individuals.

The shortlist of the annual route development awards is revealed

Ryanair will launch flights from the city from November 1, 2016 with a twice daily link to the Spanish capital, Madrid, a daily service to Brussels Charleroi and London Stansted, a four times weekly link to Berlin and twice weekly flights to Fez, Malta and Warsaw Modlin.

The oneworld alliance member will introduce a three times weekly service between Madrid and Tokyo from October 18, 2016. The Madrid – Shanghai route, also expected to be flown three times weekly, will commence from a similar time, but Iberia is still awaiting final approval from Chinese authorities and slots at Pudong International Airport before opening reservations.

The carrier will start operating the A350 XWB commercially in January 2016 between Sao Paulo and Manaus, Brazil, as part of continued training and crew familiarisation. This will be followed by operations from Sao Paulo to Miami in March and then to Madrid in April.