“Low cost airlines are part of the future of tourism”

NEMESIO Suárez, the director of Palma's Son Sant Joan airport, said yesterday that “low cost airlines are part of the future of tourism,” and as a result, the traditional airlines “will have to share the space with them.” He was speaking at the opening of the new Joan Miró VIP room at the airport (see above).
Suárez went on to say that an analysis was now being made of what the low cost airlines will represent for air traffic over the coming years, so that they can be taken into account in the master plan for the airport. He added that the tourists of today were using the low cost companies more and more as passengers tend to make up their own holiday package, choosing their own hotels and flights. As a result, he said, “there will be no alternative but to attend to this type of company and passengers.” At the same time, he did not see this as an impediment in generating “quality tourism.” Suarez went on to describe the tourist season at the airport as “phenomenal” pointing out that the increases in passengers and flights had been expected. The increase in passengers in July and August will be in the region of eight per cent compared to the same two months last year, while a six per cent increase in passengers and five per cent increase in flights is expected for September. More than 2.8 million passengers used the airport in July, confirming Majorca's popularity as a holiday destination.
But concerted efforts are being made to block plans to expand the airport so that it can cope with even more passengers in the coming years.