Canary Islands tourism minister urges Aena to scrap 2026 airport fee hike

Canary Islands tourism and employment minister Jéssica de León addressed a parliamentary committee on Thursday, urging the state-owned airport operator Aena to abandon its planned increase in airport fees slated for late 2026. She highlighted that the islands have enjoyed a three‑year freeze on fees, and warned that the proposed hike would exacerbate inflation‑driven travel costs, undermine the archipelago’s competitiveness as a tourist destination, and strain connectivity between the islands and the mainland.

De León cited a recent report from Spain’s National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) that recognises the Canary Islands’ status as an outermost region (RUP) and recommends a pricing policy reflecting that special condition. She argued that the islands’ airports already generate sufficient revenue to fund investments, so linking fee increases to future projects is unnecessary and unfair to residents, hotels, restaurants and other local businesses.