Canary Islands government considers regulating airfare prices

The Government of the Canary Islands is considering legal regulations to control airfare prices for residents through its Sustainable and Intelligent Mobility Strategy (Emsican). The proposal aims to address high costs during peak travel periods, such as summer and Christmas, by potentially setting temporary price caps on flights to mainland Spain.

To achieve this, the government may utilize Public Service Obligations (PSO) to establish price limits on specific routes and ensure essential inter-island connectivity. The strategy also includes the possibility of auditing airline pricing algorithms to monitor how dynamic pricing affects residents and subsidized routes.

Additionally, the regional executive seeks to review how the existing 75% resident discount is applied, ensuring that surcharges and supplements do not absorb the public subsidy. Other proposed measures include the creation of a bilateral commission between the Spanish State and the Canary Islands to coordinate airport policy and the development of a single, intermodal inter-island ticket to facilitate easier travel between islands.