The Equalizer

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By The Equalizer - Thu 4th Apr 2013

 

Last week – the 24th of March – marked the 2nd anniversary of the opening of the new terminal building at Alicante’s El Altet airport.

The date coincided with the launch of the 2011 Summer season and both AENA and the management of the airport could perhaps be forgiven for predicting the future of the facility with Bullish optimism.

The previous year – 2010 – marked the second best year for passenger numbers in the Airport’s history with 9,382,935 arrivals, and it was both hoped and expected that this was a taste of what was in store for future years.

It may also have been a case of AENA flexing their muscles in the face of “Soon-to-open, neighbouring Corvera Airport”, as the state-run airport operator attempted to court business away from their privately owned competitor, located just 80km away.

And to be fair the passenger numbers for 2011 seemed to prove that the optimism was not misplaced – with figures coming in at 9,913,764 by the end of the year.

Perhaps that is when, and why, AENA and the management overstretched themselves and decided that they did not need Ryanair, and could afford to renege on the previous contract, which agreed that passengers could disembark on foot.

Quite understandably, Ryanair thought it unfair that their 5-year agreement should not be honoured and threatened to cancel routes and cut flight frequencies.

By the end of 2012 passenger numbers had fallen to 8,855,764.

However, by mid-March 2013 Ryanair had announced that they would not only reinstate the previously cancelled flights, but that they would be adding to the numbers and frequencies.

Why ?

Maybe they know something we don’t ?

Perhaps Alicante Airport and Ryanair are in cahoots in the knowledge that Corvera will never actually open ?

Aside from Why a new terminal building was actually required (aside from pride and vanity, of course), the only question remaining is What is to become of the perfectly functional old terminal building ?

My money is on it being leased to Ryanair as a dedicated Terminal : At least then they would be free to embark and disembark passengers as they alone saw fit.

Two fingers up to Corvera ?

Recommended Reading

• Corvera Airport : Will San Javier Ever Close ?
• El Altet Director Not Worried by Corvera Airport
• Alicante Airport ; 1 Year and Counting
• A Flight from Alicante Airport's new Terminal Builidng : Day 1