The primary association representing the air travel industry in Spain has cautioned that some European airports may crumble under the strain ahead of an expected surge in flights to and from Spanish airport destinations this summer.
The Asociación de Líneas Aéreas (ALA) predicts that there will be 219 million seats available this summer in Spain, an increase of 3% from the 213 million occupied during the same period in 2019, which was a record-breaking year.
Comprising of 60 airlines of various types, ALA members account for 85% of air traffic in Spain, including the top 10 airlines in terms of traffic.
However, the organisation is warning that the tourism boom could lead to operational issues, as was witnessed last summer, with some European airports struggling to cope with the increase in demand.
As a result, the association has requested government assistance to ensure that strikes in France – which mainly impact air traffic control – do not cause significant disruptions in Spain. A Eurocontrol report recently estimated that Spain would be the most impacted country by these strikes, with a potential for over 400 delayed flights and 63% more cancellations than usual.
Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport has already issued a warning that it will have to decrease the number of flights this summer due to a lack of operational capacity, similar to what occurred in the United Kingdom last year.
“Spain has demonstrated excellent management post-pandemic, but this situation could have many indirect repercussions for us,” stated ALA President Javier Gándara.
According to summer forecasts, Andalucía, the Canary Islands, and the Balearic Islands are leading the growth in seat scheduling for this summer in Spain, while Madrid and Barcelona remain below pre-pandemic levels.
ALA data indicates that Andalucía will experience the most significant increase in flights (8.2%) compared to 2019, with 25.6 million seats scheduled.