New future for control of Palma airport

PALMA
THE President of the Balearics, Francesc Antich, said yesterday that he is confident Palma's SonSan Joan airport is going to be included in the first phase of an airport management shakeup scheme unveiled by central government yesterday.

The role of Spanish Airport and Air Traffic Control authority, Aena, in the management of key Spanish airports is going to be reduced to make way for the involvement of local airport committees.

The Spanish government eventually wants every region of Spain with an airport to have its own committees comprising of local government, tourism and comnmercial bodies. However, phase one is going to apply to the country's most important and busiest airports and the Balearic government is confident that Palma will be included.

Aena will continue to have a 70 percent say in the running of airports with the private/public committees entitled to no more than 30 percent involvement.

The Balearics has been fighting for a role in the management of its airports for years.