- This is the view expressed by Óscar S.García, CEO of Inter Flight Global Corporation, organisers of the 2nd Annual Iberian Peninsula Business Aviation Conference, where the project for what would be Madrid’s second airport was unveiled today.
- Air City Madrid South will be the solution to meet rising demand for business aviation, a project ensuring economic benefits and job creation.
- Business aviation industry representatives stress the importance of having infrastructure specifically catering to their needs.
Spain’s capital city Madrid was the venue this Thursday for the 2nd Annual Iberian Peninsula Business Aviation Conference, an international event with the business aviation industry where the Air City Madrid South project was unveiled. “It is an answer to what the European and global private aviation industry has been asking for”, said Óscar S. García, CEO of Inter Flight Global Corporation, the organisers of the conference.
The expansion of Casarrubios del Monte-Álamo general aviation airport, on land straddling two neighbouring regions in Spain —Castilla-La Mancha and Madrid— has received a “fantastic” response, according to Olivier Poncet, a partner in Air City Madrid Sur, who presented the project at the 2nd Annual Iberian Peninsula Business Aviation Conference. Poncet highlighted increasing demand for business aviation and how conferences like this one reflect the industry’s search for infrastructures “that can be home to a type of aviation using smaller aircraft that need highly flexible operational capabilities”.
“The industry in Europe and the European Business Aviation Association are in full agreement about the need for a new platform because Barajas airport is not ideal for this industry”, pointed out Óscar S. García. From an economic standpoint the conference organiser underlined the fact that “business aviation creates jobs, wealth and trade and attracts foreign investment”. According to S. García, this industry “generates around €1.4 billion a year in Spain and creates around 7,400 jobs”.
In the same vein, the fact is that business aviation is an expanding industry in Spain and one that needs a base to operate out of that will give priority to the industry’s own specific needs. “Our airport will also have a place for more commercial flights but our focus will be much more about extremely flexible operations with this particular type of aviation”, added Poncet. Air City Madrid South’s facilities will be suitable for flights requiring lower traffic density and more flexibility than a “large international hub airport” can offer. However, “it would not compete with Madrid’s current airport, but rather act as a complement to it instead”, specified Óscar S. García.
“With a 3,200 metre runway”, Air City Madrid South will be an airport that will provide “fast access to the platform for aircraft after landing and significantly lower traffic density while guaranteeing safety”, explained Poncet.
Air City Madrid South will start operating in 2023 with both commercial aviation low-fare flights and business aviation, a difference that will make it stand out from all other airports in Europe. In addition to the positive reaction to the project at the conference, Poncet also reiterated how Air City Madrid South will bring “more competition to the Spanish market that will benefit passengers in the long-run, as it will new generation low-cost companies because they will be able to run their operations with greater financial sustainability”.
