Protesters Rally Against Airport Growth
On Sunday 20 September 2026, around 210 civic, environmental and neighbourhood groups marched along Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona under the slogan ‘No to the expansion, neither now nor ever’. The demonstration opposed the planned development of Barcelona-El Prat Airport, with ERC deputy leader and MEP Diana Riba leading calls for Catalonia to take control of future transport investment.
We cannot continue expanding airport capacity without asking Catalonia what it needs. Rail must come first.
Riba argued that the airport is already operating at its limit and that major infrastructure decisions should not be made without input from the Parlament and Catalan citizens.
DORA III Investment Sparks Debate
The immediate focus is Aena’s Third Airport Regulatory Document (DORA III), approved by the company’s board and backed by the Spanish government for the 2027–2031 period. The national framework allocates approximately €1.76 billion to Barcelona-El Prat as part of a wider €13 billion investment across Spain’s airport network. According to the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), DORA III does not authorise the construction of a third runway at El Prat before 2032. Instead, the current phase prioritises upgrades to terminals T1 and T2, parking facilities and apron improvements. Despite this, groups including Zeroport warn that the investment prolongs a growth-dependent model. They argue that even without immediate runway expansion, the funding reinforces an airport-led development strategy.
Rail Over Runway: A Shift in Priorities
Riba advocates for redirecting investment toward railway infrastructure, calling it a more urgent and efficient use of public funds. She links this shift to a broader economic transformation, urging Catalonia to reduce its reliance on tourism and strengthen sectors such as food production and industry. ERC frames the airport debate as a question of sovereignty: not just how money is spent, but who decides. The party demands that Catalonia’s institutions gain formal authority over transport investment priorities. While the government presents DORA III as modernisation, critics say it delays a necessary reckoning over long-term sustainability and regional autonomy.
Primary sources: lamoncloa.gob.es. Reported by Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), russpain.com.
