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Carlos Mazón demands that the Government “immediately” launch the second runway at the Alicante-Elche airport so as not to lose 800 million euros and 14,800 jobs annually.

 

• Carlos Mazón demands that the Government “immediately” launch the second runway at the Alicante-Elche airport so as not to lose 800 million...
• Requests the modification of AENA's current planning investment framework because “every day of delay is a loss of opportunities”
• It underlines that the claim for the second runway is rigorously accredited and points out the sustainable tourism capacity of Alicante with balanced growth, in addition to highlighting the return on the investments received.
• It asks for the same treatment as the Malaga airport, whose expansion “was put in place in 2012 long before reaching its maximum capacity.” 
• Proposes the creation of an “independent infrastructure authority” in Spain that objectively prioritizes strategic investments 
• The study of the economic impact of the need for the second runway at the Alicante-Elche Airport prepared by the Alicante Chamber of Commerce shows that the airport is close to saturation levels
• It also concludes that it will not be able to cope with future increases in traffic that are around two million passengers per year and close to 6.5 billion in tourist spending between 2024 and 2030.

 

The president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, has demanded that the Government of Spain “immediately” launch the second runway at the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport since the non-execution of this infrastructure puts 800 million euros annually at risk. in the provincial GDP and 14,800 jobs per year that could not be maintained or created during the period 2024-2030.

This is evident in the study of the economic impact of the need for this infrastructure, prepared by the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, whose presentation was attended by the head of the Consell. Also attending were the Minister of Environment, Water, Infrastructure and Territory, Salomé Pradas, the Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Nuria Montes, the mayor of Elche, Pablo Ruz, the mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala and the president of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, Carlos Baño, among others. 

During his speech, the head of the Consell announced that the report prepared by the Alicante chamber entity will be delivered tomorrow to the management of AENA and has requested the modification of AENA's current planning investment framework because “every day of delay is a loss of opportunities.” ”. 

Thus, he has referred to the fact that every day that passes "we lose 2.2 million euros and close to 50 jobs are no longer created", which is why he has rejected the study of this infrastructure in the next period of 2027-2031 "because It is a postponement in itself.”

In this sense, he has stressed that this claim is technically accredited through rigor and has pointed out the sustainable tourism capacity of Alicante "with a balanced growth, capable of creating employment", as well as the "effort to advance infrastructures despite being the “last province in last in the General State Budgets” 

Likewise, it has demanded the same treatment as the Malaga airport, whose expansion "was put in place in 2012 long before reaching its maximum capacity and long before reaching the point where Alicante is located with a rail connection."

Similarly, it has proposed the creation of an independent infrastructure authority” in Spain along the lines of AIREF “that prioritizes strategic investments based on objective data.” 

Along these lines, he has criticized that the Alicante-Madrid AVE line, “the most profitable and busiest in Spain, was the last to be launched” and has highlighted the return on investment offered by the province of Alicante “every time that is invested in it.”

Alicante-Elche Airport, on the verge of saturation

The report prepared by the technicians of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce concludes that currently the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport is close to saturation levels since the passenger traffic figures planned for 2026 have been exceeded in 2023, with 15.7 million passengers.

Another conclusion drawn by the study is that the airport's growth capacity will be exceeded in 2026 with close to 20 million passengers and will not be able to cope with future increases in traffic that could be around two million passengers per year and close to 6.5 billion in tourist spending in the period 2024-2030, according to the forecasts of the Alicante chamber entity. 

Given these figures, the head of the Consell has demanded that the Spanish government respond to the demand for the second runway at this airport "because the scope of this need no longer needs to be interpreted." 

Likewise, he thanked the work carried out by the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, which he stated “is a first-rate technical endorsement and a guarantee of rigor.”