SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 26 Aug. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Cristina Valido, the spokesperson for Coalición Canaria (CC) in the Congress of Deputies, stated on Tuesday that it is “very urgent” for the Canary Islands to participate in the co-management of the islands’ airports. She called for a meeting between the regional government and the Minister for Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, Valido highlighted that this measure is enshrined in the Statute of Autonomy and the REF and is of “mandatory compliance.” Therefore, she stressed the need to create the “appropriate body” to work on airport planning and management.

“We have the right to receive all information and to intervene when necessary so that those passing through these airports do not leave with a negative impression,” she commented.

She further pointed out that it is “unacceptable” for Canary authorities to learn “through the press” that a landscaping company has gone bankrupt, leaving employees without jobs and gardens unattended.

Additionally, she noted that it should not be the case that disruptions in handling services lead to “losses” for passengers or that decisions regarding the expansion of airspace are made without consideration for local institutions.

“Our airports are not the same as those on the mainland. Our airports are fundamentally different, strategic, and serve as the lifeblood of a territory that comprises eight origins and receives significant tourism,” she asserted.

Valido also mentioned that these airports are “highly profitable” for Aena, yet there are announcements of fee increases.

Dávila echoed similar sentiments, demanding a model akin to that of the ports, arguing that it is “unreasonable” for them to learn about fee increases or management problems with contractors through the media. She expressed concern over the “spectacle” of issues such as “litter not being collected, gardens deteriorating, and a lack of direct explanation to the various island governments regarding what is happening at the airports.”

Thus, she emphasised that “Canarias must be present, along with the cabildos,” in these management bodies that need to be developed, adding that Minister Ángel Víctor Torres is delaying in reaching out to the Government of Canarias to push this initiative forward.

The President of Tenerife also expressed her hope that next week a protocol will be signed stipulating that the Spanish Government will finance railway systems in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, as outlined in the mobility law currently under consideration in Congress.