Calls for more cash for Palma airport

Spanish airport and air traffic control authority AENA came under fire yesterday from the Balearic government for failing to have invested sufficient funds into Palma airport. The Balearic Minister for Transport, Housing and Public Works, Josep Antoni Ferrer, said yesterday that despite having posted profits of some 9'000 million pesetas last year, AENA is failing to adequately re-invest in Palma airport - one of the busiest in Europe during the summer season. Ferrer called on the Council of Majorca and Majorca's local councils to give their support to an official complaint to the airport authority. Ferrer said that AENA should set up a new maintenance centre at the airport which would serve to improve the terminal's competitiveness and also increase the number of staff. The Balearic Finance Minister, Joan Mesquida, described the airport as a “gold mine” but said that central government has done little to help the Balearics, which still wants to be given control of the islands' airports. Joan Mesquida suggested that perhaps Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar would like to go on a tour of the mainland and then come to Majorca, in order to appreciate what is really lacking in the Balearics. Ever since the new terminal was opened four years ago, it has been undergoing continual renovation and improvements.