Aena speeds up El Prat airport city with more logistics and the T2 hotel
The El Prat airport city is taking shape. After urban planning procedures slowed down some developments, Aena has accelerated the launch of the logistics and real estate hub. The first step has been the awarding of a three-hectare plot to DHL, extending the cargo area to the west, with the aim of increasing the capacity for international goods. The transport group is already investing 80 million in its development.
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As the airport manager explained yesterday during the presentation of the 2024 results, this year it will promote a new five-hectare logistics plot and a hotel, both next to Terminal 2. The tendering process for the plot has already been launched and the deadline for receiving offers will close in March.
The company hires Ramon Tremosa, ex-Junts, as a director amid the debate on the expansionAs for the hotel, the plan is to put it out to tender in 2025 and award it in the following year. “There is a high level of interest from companies in the sector” in the logistics plot, as well as in the construction of the hotel, said the general manager of the Commercial and Real Estate area of Aena, María José Cuenda. The company had previously identified 151 hectares to be used for different purposes, which would be made available to interested parties based on needs. Further ahead, new plans were also planned, such as offices and another hotel in Terminal 1, a logistics hub opposite the cargo area, a mixed-use area also in Terminal 2 and new hangars.
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The development of the airport city is thus continuing its course, regardless of the possible expansion of the airport. The president of Aena, Maurici Lucena, was cautious yesterday in this regard, waiting for the Generalitat and the central government to present their proposal for extension in the coming weeks. Sources in the sector explain that the presentation of the project is pending the specification and agreement of the environmental compensations that should be undertaken to extend the third runway towards Ricarda.
This process to unblock the airport expansion and obtain the approval of Brussels also includes the appointment of former Junts minister Ramon Tremosa as an independent director of Aena . The appointment of the former MEP will be put to a vote at the company's shareholders' meeting on 9 April.
The annual accounts of Aena will also be voted on there. The manager made a profit of 1,934 million euros in 2024, 18% more than in the previous year and the highest figure to date. This was done after passenger traffic, both in its Spanish airports and in London-Luton and Brazil, increased by 8.5%, to 369 million. For this year, it expects a 3.4% increase in passengers in Spain, in addition to announcing an increase in the dividend. The State will thus receive more than 746 million as the owner of 51% of the shares. It will also apply a stock split to encourage minority shareholders. Aena shares closed yesterday at 215.2 euros, with a fall of 0.46%.
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