Long gone
Far more air cargo than before Covid-19. There’s not a cloud in the sky over the Iberian Peninsula’s airfreight markets, as the latest figures and initiatives on the ground and in the air show.
International interest in the Spanish carrier Air Europa remains strong, and the privatisation of TAP Air Portugal, the national carrier of its western neighbour, which turned 80 on 14 March, is likely to be delayed only slightly by the recent change of government.
As in the case of the battle over Italy’s flag carrier, much points to a showdown between Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, though the British-Spanish IAG is also said to be keen to strengthen its regional footprint after its failed bid for Air Europa.
While passenger services to popular holiday destinations remain the main driver for competitors, several airports in the region also show some potential for airfreight transport. Madrid tops the list, accounting for around 60% of the national market and now ranked as Europe’s number 10 (see page 12 of ITJ 3/2025). BCN and ZAZ, which recovered later, have now been overtaken by LIS.
Half a million t per year by 2082
Traffic growth at the airport in Portugal’s capital has been so strong that the project for the Novo Aeroporto de Lisboa (NAL), officially launched in January, has won over even the last doubters. The hub is scheduled to begin operations in 2037. Its freight capacity foresees annual cargo volumes growing from 391,000 t (2045) to 467,000 t (2062) and 550,000 t (2082).