Aena activates the tender for the logistics areas of El Prat and Barajas

Aena has activated the bidding process for the logistics areas in the airport cities of the two main Spanish facilities, El Prat and Barajas. In Madrid, even, the processing is progressing at a greater speed. The objective of the manager chaired by Maurici Lucena is to develop the 2022-2026 strategic plan, which was updated at the last shareholders meeting, with the aim of meeting the growing demand for passengers and merchandise and, therefore, for services.

The listed company announced this Friday that it is already preparing the tender for a five-hectare plot for logistics use at the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport and another twenty-five hectare plot of land at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport, also for logistics use. . In the case of the Barcelona plot, owned by the manager, Aena has not yet been able to approximate the size of the logistics project in Madrid due to the urban planning processing problems with neighboring councils that it encounters when authorizing the expansion. Lucena himself spoke a few weeks ago about the “dull stagnation” of El Prat and on occasion has highlighted that the obstacles that his company encounters in Barcelona do not occur in Madrid.

At the capital’s airport, Aena has already concluded the consultation process with the logistics and real estate sector for the development of the land surrounding the runways and terminals. The company highlights the “high interest in the land” from different companies. Specifically, nine large firms have shown their willingness to bid for the tender: Arcano, Bankinter Logística, Eurocro, Goodman, Merlin, Newdock, PDC Industrial, Prologis and Selep.

In addition to the logistics areas, Aena is also advancing in the development of cargo areas in the airport cities of Madrid and Barcelona. The company announced yesterday that its board of directors has activated the sale of a seven-hectare plot at the Barajas airport with the aim of expanding the cargo area of the terminals. Between 2015 and 2024 this sector has grown by 5.3% each year on average. In 2023, Spanish airports moved 1,079,676 tons of merchandise, 7.9% more than in 2022. These are record figures.

These developments are added to the projects already launched, such as the award to Andino Global of a warehouse intended for cargo activities in Barajas, Ryanair’s decision to rent an aircraft maintenance hangar for fifteen years also in Madrid, as well as the construction from a Lidl supermarket in the capital. In El Prat, IAS Handling has won the tender for a warehouse of almost 2,800 square meters to develop a multifunctional cargo terminal, warehouses with offices or maneuvering areas for ground services.

In parallel, Aena has just launched the tender for the drafting of the T1 remodeling project, which will be the largest action at the airport since its previous expansion, in 2009. The amount of the tender is 16 million euros , as stated in the documents of the file, as reported by La Vanguardia. But this item will only cover the drafting of the technical design. The work, which will last about two years, will have a total cost of hundreds of millions of euros, industry sources estimate. It will also entail significant changes, such as the relocation of Miró’s mural from the current T2 to the new façade of T1. There is no precedent in the world for the transfer of a work of art of such dimensions or relevance.

These works are unrelated to the eventual expansion of El Prat, whose negotiation remains at a standstill due to the political situation.

In the update of its strategic plan, presented in March, Aena explained the project to improve T1, with a series of actions that will affect the main façade. The company chaired by Maurici Lucena will install new entry filters, with scanners that will allow passengers to pass security checks without having to remove liquids or laptops from bags and suitcases. These new filters will facilitate entry flow into the terminal and are expected to save time and hassle for passengers. In order for these machines to fit, it will be necessary to move the entire façade a few meters towards the area where the current access roads are.

Apart from moving the façade and the arrivals and departures board, Aena plans to expand the central roof of T1 and cover patios. A profound transformation, therefore, which is why the listed company has contacted the family of architect Ricardo Bofill with the aim of preserving the original design of the terminal.

In parallel, Aena has just launched the tender for the drafting of the remodeling project of the T, which will be the largest action at the airport since its previous expansion, in 2009. The amount of the tender is 16 million euros , as stated in the documents of the file, as reported by La Vanguardia. But this item will only cover the drafting of the technical design. The work, which will last about two years, will have a total cost of hundreds of millions of euros, industry sources estimate. It will also entail significant changes, such as the relocation of Miró’s mural from the current T2 to the new façade of T1. There is no precedent in the world for the transfer of a work of art of such dimensions or relevance.

These works are unrelated to the eventual expansion of El Prat, whose negotiation remains at a standstill due to the political situation.