In February of this year it was announced by Airports Council International that the airport of Murcia-San Javier had been voted by passengers the best airport in Europe in 2014 among all of those carrying under two million passengers, and airport management company Aena is preparing to make the most of this prestigious award by displaying the certificate in the terminal.

The company will also be launching a promotional campaign to make the most of the acclaim for San Javier, despite the fact that negotiations are ongoing with the regional government of Murcia to close the facility down to civilian flights in order to make way for the new Region of Murcia Airport in Corvera. 

 

The Airport Service Quality Awards given by the ACI are the industry’s most prestigious accolades, and reflect the customer satisfaction index gained during surveys among passengers. These quarterly surveys take into account 34 parameters including access, check-in friendliness, security, parking, airport facilities, food quality and general service.

 

In 2012 and 2013 the European small airport category winner was Keflavik in Iceland, which in 2014 graduated to take the overall European award ahead of the airports of Moscow Sheremetyevo, Porto, Malta and Zürich. However, the future for Murcia-San Javier doesn’t look so bright.

 

On Monday Ana Pastor, the national Minister for Development, made her third visit to Murcia in six months, during which the subject of the compensation which will have to be paid to Aena for investments made at San Javier when the airport is closed down was once again raised. The figure is currently being quoted in the press at 37 million euros, a debt which will be shouldered by whichever company wins the contract to manage the airport at Corvera. 

 

The minister indicated that it was "OK" by her for San Javier to close to civilian traffic and transfer operations to Corvera airport and that she had approved the paperwork which had been submitted to the judiciary for consideration allowing six months for the transfer between the two airports to take place and establishing the compensation to be paid. However, the final agreement was out of her hands and she, along with the Murcian regional government, would have to wait for authorisation to be given for an agreement to be signed between the regional government and Aena before a new adjudication process could begin for Corvera airport.

 

Curiously, the company which finally wins the concession could well be Aena itself, as it has been reported that they are certain to bid for the contract. Should they win, they will then owe themselves compensation.

 

Image: Ana Pastor visiting Cartagena on Monday as part of her engagements. Photographer: José Albaledejo