Aena is not the problem

The Balearic Parliament approved a bill for the creation of an airport authority for the Balearic Islands, also declared itself against the works announced at Ibiza airport, on June 2, and pronouncements have been made against the planned expansion at Menorca airport. In my opinion, these demonstrations and positions are made out of ignorance, prejudice, or more unconfessable intentions.If we talk about going to a sustainable model and against massification, I agree, but it won't be by attacking and blaming Aena as we will clarify. To defend the autonomous management or co-management of airports, and to oppose Aena, it is said that if we manage the airports from here, public or social interest will prevail, and connectivity will be better. And recently a new one has been added: Aena is responsible for the tourist overcrowding we are suffering and, therefore, we need to move to a new management model to avoid it. The truth, however, is that there is no argument to support this position, beyond populist, not to say demagogic, expressions, and simple answers to complicated problems.Imagine you that because of waiting lists or the lack of doctors, nurses and specialists in public healthcare the solution was to privatize healthcare? Something similar is happening with the airport self-management/co-management proposal or the attacks on Aena.Aena is the leading airport operator worldwide, moving 10.8% of Spain's GDP and, according to an Incosa study, in the last decade, Aena has become the most successful European air model, and it doesn't cost us a cent! You read that right, it costs us nothing, it is self-financed with airport fees and what it invoices to companies that carry out commercial or economic activity there.Breaking it up would only make management more expensive and increase problems.Mass tourism is not a consequence of Aena's management, which, we recall, manages airports of general interest by constitutional mandate of article 149.1.20a; and, therefore, manages the airports of Ibiza with 9,138,224 passengers in 2025 and that of Menorca with 4,210,152 in the same year, two islands similar in terms of square kilometers and the same manager, but with a very different economic evolution. The first island has bet since the sixties of the last century on a model based on the tourism sector, while Menorca had a more diversified economy with more presence of the primary and secondary sectors.Aena also does not control the number of flights and slots. In Europe it is regulated by Regulation (EEC) No 95/93 and in Spain, since 2014, it is AEFCA, an independent body, that determines the slots based on the capacity declared by each airport and the historical rights of the airlines.  The works announced in both Ibiza and Menorca are not aimed at increasing the declared capacity, but at providing solutions to structural problems in both terminals, which are not well dimensioned for the current number of passengers. Increasing the declared capacity is what should really alarm us.Does this mean that Aena is doing everything right, that there is no room for improvement, that we can do nothing? Well no, but the political and social initiatives in our autonomous community should be directed in another direction and address the real problems we have at our airports. Firstly, fight for the reversal of the 49% privatization carried out in 2015, in compliance with article 128.1 of the Constitution. Secondly, ensure that they have the necessary staff, as they claimed at Menorca airport on July 21st, or more recently in Ibiza on August 24th with gatherings, not forgetting Son Sant Joan and Son Bonet. The same applies to the staff of many airport contracts, be they companies of handling, security, restoration or cleaning. Thirdly, to have the essential infrastructures. The most urgent case, that of a new control tower at Menorca airport. Fourthly, to demand compliance with occupational risk prevention regulations, which are very deficient. Fifthly, to actively participate in airport coordination committees and improve their composition and competences. Finally, if we really want to combat mass tourism, we must decrease, regulate tourist rentals, intervene in the housing market, limit vehicle entry and reorient the economy towards more sustainable sectors. And all of this is within the autonomous and municipal power, but it is easier to blame Aena for everything. By the way, and what about the ports where the Autonomous Community participates? In the case of APB (and, therefore, of the influx of cruise ships) it has the competences of the Ports of the Balearic Islands, which manages, among others, the port of Ciutadella, where we have gone from 205,461 passengers in 2012 to 643,582 in 2025 (and they want to expand it). But it's better not to talk about that, right? We can go against Aena, like Don Quixote against the windmills, thinking they were giants. But they were not giants, they were windmills. The sooner we open our eyes, the better, lest by attacking the windmills' sails we get hurt.