Spanish airport operator Aena is planning to raise fees it charges airlines by 6.5% in 2026, as the company needs more cash to fund investments, newspaper El Pais reported, citing unidentified sources close to the negotiations.
The company has already asked Spanish competition watchdog Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) to approve the increase, which would raise the maximum fees charged per passenger by €0.68 ($0.79) in 2026, the report stated.
Airports charge airlines fees for services including the use of runways, terminals, security and baggage handling. The fees subsequently place an impact on passenger ticket prices.
A spokesperson for Aena informed Airline Economics that the airport operator's board of directors will make a final decision on fees for 2026 at a meeting scheduled for the end of July.
In December last year, CNMC stated that Aena's fees in 2025 will be unchanged, rejecting the company's bid for a fee increase of 0.5%. This forced the airport operator to keep fees at a maximum €10.35 euros ($12.13) per passenger. The airport operator appealed the decision.
Carriers such as Ryanair welcomed the CNMC's decision to freeze fees at Aena’s airports.