Thousands protest in Barcelona and Balearics against €13B Aena airport expansion plan

Mobilisations across Catalonia and the Balearics

Demonstrators took to the streets on Sunday, 20 September 2026, to oppose the expansion of Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport and regional tourism policies. In Barcelona, the protest convened at midday at the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia and Carrer d'Aragó. Organisers from the Zeroport platform and more than 210 affiliated environmental, neighbourhood, and union groups reported an attendance of 30,000 people. The Guàrdia Urbana estimated the crowd at 5,500 participants, alongside 150 bicycles and four tractors. Ten distinct activist columns arrived from across Barcelona, converging with nine delegations from surrounding municipalities including El Prat de Llobregat, Sant Boi, and Cornellà. The march moved past Gran Via, Plaça Urquinaona, and Via Laietana before ending in Plaça Sant Jaume, where demonstrators threw paper aeroplanes. Parallel demonstrations took place in Palma and Eivissa.

Zeroport organisers30,000

Guàrdia Urbana5,500

Zeroport organisers

30000 people

Guàrdia Urbana

5500 people

Data from the article text

Political friction over the DORA III master plan

The mobilisations followed the Council of Ministers approving the third Airport Regulation Document (DORA III) on Tuesday. The five-year plan outlines close to €13 billion in investments across the Spanish airport network managed by Aena between 2027 and 2031. Within Catalonia, DORA III designates €1.962 billion, including €1.765 billion allocated directly to Barcelona-El Prat for runway preparations and terminal remodelling. Although the plan does not begin physical runway extensions immediately, it includes preparatory works. Investiture partners supporting Salvador Illa's Catalan administration joined the march, exposing political divisions between the governing Socialists and their parliamentary allies. Representatives from Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), Comuns, and CUP marched behind banners reading "No to expansion, not now and never".

Total Aena network13,000

Catalonia1,962

Barcelona-El Prat1,765

Total Aena network

13000 €M

Catalonia

1962 €M

Barcelona-El Prat

1765 €M

Data from the article text

Overtourism and environmental objections

Protesters argued that expanding airport capacity exacerbates climate deterioration, strain on local housing, and tourism density. Platform representatives stated that airport growth directly contradicts public climate commitments.

“We are thousands of people from across the country showing the public's outright rejection of a project that, if carried out, will worsen some of the main problems the country faces, such as the housing crisis, the climate emergency, and mass tourism.”

In Palma, hundreds marched from the central government delegation to Consolat de Mar to challenge tourism promotion and airport growth projections. Activists noted that DORA III forecasts Balearic passenger traffic reaching up to 50 million annually by 2031. Balearic platform spokesperson Pere Joan Femenia pointed out that Palma exceeded its hourly limit of 66 flights on 18 occasions, and pointed to 23,000 private jet flights across the archipelago in 2025.

“It cannot be that after midnight planes continue to pass over our houses.”

Proposed alternatives and regional governance

Parliamentary leaders addressing the crowds called for alternative transport priorities and regional decentralisation. Jéssica Albiach urged Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to halt what she termed an extractivist project, while Gerardo Pisarello described the national airport strategy as outdated and damaging to local communities. The mayor of El Prat de Llobregat, Alba Bou, advocated for improving rail connections between the Barcelona metropolitan area and Girona Airport, which currently operates at 30% capacity. ERC representative Diana Riba demanded that governance of El Prat be transferred directly to Catalonia, arguing that state funds should shift toward the rail network and economic diversification.