Junta de Andalucía demands 'immediate' expansion of Malaga Airport from central government

The unstoppable growth of Malaga Airport has prompted Andalucía's regional government (the Junta) to demand that the central government "immediately" expand this infrastructure. For that reason, regional minister of tourism Arturo Bernal has sent a letter to the minister of transport and sustainable mobility - Óscar Puente - to urgently ask him to activate the exceptional measures, as they are established in the current airport regulation document (DORA II). The document sets the roadmap for this infrastructure until 2026 and defines the regulatory conditions within which the operation of the 45 airports belonging to the network of the Spanish airport operator (Aena) will be developed from 2022 until next year.

The aim is to undertake an "immediate expansion of the airport", without having to wait for the next update of the document, which should take place in 2027. Bernal has warned Puente that, according to the rate of growth, the Costa del Sol infrastructure will reach its maximum capacity in 2026. Even though DORA II forecast that a record number of passengers - 20.7 million - would be reached next year, this figure was already surpassed during the first year after the document was published due to the rapid recovery of tourism after the pandemic. What this means is that the central government has not upgraded current plans to match real demands and needs. Just to point to one example of this - 2024 closed with almost 25 million passengers.

For this reason, the regional minister believes that expansion cannot wait until 2027. In reality, DORA II does allow for measures to be taken before the deadline when "exceptional situations arise". One condition for this to happen states that there must be an annual increase in passenger traffic in the network as a whole - one that exceeds the growth forecast in the roadmap by 10 points - and that passenger traffic forecasts for the following years must show consolidation. In the case of Malaga Airport, both conditions are more than fulfilled. While DORA II was predicting 20.7 million passengers by 2026, Bernal expects that 30 million will have been reached by the end of that year.

Upon conception, the DORA document was aimed at guaranteeing accessibility, mobility of citizens and workers, as well as territorial cohesion, but "the increase in flights and passengers has been much faster than foreseen". "In 2024, the forecast for total passenger traffic growth in the Aena network was 11.07%, but the real data have exceeded this threshold, reaching an increase of 11.5%," said Bernal. Growth continues the consolidation trend in 2025.

It should be noted that the urgency to start the works to increase the airport's capacity is also due to the fact that these are actions that require several years before completion. For example, the airport, at its current state, first took shape in a 2004 plan, which culminated between 2010 and 2012, with the inauguration of T3 and the extension of the airfield, respectively.

'Insufficient' actions

In the letter, Bernal has outlined his "concern regarding a series of key infrastructures that are fundamental for the development and competitiveness" of Andalucía. Despite certain actions already taking shape, the regional minister has said that they are "insufficient", given the need for "strategic projects for mobility and the economic and social development of Andalucía". The projects in mind, which require the support and investment of the central government, include the coastal train, the extension of Malaga Airport and the intermodality and railway connection with other Andalusian airports.

One of the key infrastructures - the coastal train from Algeciras to Nerja - has been delayed for years and, "so far, only the feasibility of the project has been put out to tender" despite the "vital importance" that it holds when it comes to "improving connectivity in the Andalusian coastal strip". "Its delay has a negative impact both on mobility and on the economic and social development of one of the most important areas of Andalucía," said Bernal.

With that in mind, the regional minister has called for "the execution and management deadlines to be sped up". "Only in this way can we ensure that the coastal train becomes a reality as soon as possible and that its benefits reach citizens and the local economy, contributing to the sustainable development of the Andalusian coast and the creation of employment in the region as a whole."

In addition, with his letter Bernal has raised the question regarding "the need to improve connectivity between the Andalusian airport hubs through the high-speed rail network", highlighting that "this integration is essential to facilitate access to the main cities in our region and strengthen our position as an international destination of reference". According to Bernal, a key step in achieving this is "to work together in the creation of the integral mobility plan for Andalucía, which optimises and coordinates these means of transport, promoting fluid and sustainable mobility that not only boosts the region's competitiveness, but also raises its international projection and improves the quality of life of citizens".

In his conclusion, Bernal has proposed to Puente "a future meeting" to discuss the aforementioned integral mobility plan for Andalucía, among other urgent questions.