The Spanish President, José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, announced last week the privatisation of 49% of AENA, the public body that manages Spanish airports and services, a statement that has caused some concern in Menorca where the airport is not considered as infrastructure but as a vital necessity.
The Councillor for Transport, Damià Borràs, has called for special caution to be taken in the case of Menorca airport and for public interest to prevail over financial when it comes to making strategic decisions, such as in the case of airport taxes where profitability obviously has to be taken into account but consideration also has to be given to the airport's strategic role not only for Menorcan residents but also their main source of income, tourism.
All the Spanish airports are financially in the red, apart from one, Bilbao, which recorded a meagre profit of 100,000 euros last year. Menorca airport, fourth from the bottom of the list, lost 14 million euros last year and this year's deficit is forecast to be over 15 million euros, due to recent heavy investments in the new terminal, the car park, improvements to the navigation system, resurfacing the runway and the new sewage plant. The airport's debt stands at 135 million euros and is expected to rise to 140 million euros by the end of the year. In this year alone, 11 million euros will have to be repaid in respect of investments, more than half of the airport's normal income.
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