GAVÀ MAR and the Barcelona Airport
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Gavà Mar, a neighbourhood belonging to the city of Gavà, is located near the Llobregat river delta, between Viladecans and Castelldefels beaches. For more than 35 years its inhabitants have lived next to the airport without many problems with this historical configuration:
Until
1997, then Gavà Mar grew considerably as new housing
sites were developed in the area of Central Mar, 
located just in the
center of Gavà Mar, on a former campground site. During this
time, the Barcelona Airport decided to change the air routes and aircrafts
began to fly over the neighbourhood causing substantial disturbances
for the people living in the area.
| This route change would force the residents association –from now on, we will refer to it as AVV Gavà Mar– to direct the neighbours’ complaints to the City Hall of Gavà. The main points of the inhabitants’ claim were the following : |
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The neighbours took part in three demonstrations in which they blocked the access to the airport. AENA undertook to solve the problems by extending runway (02/20), so that aircrafts could take off directly over the sea. A wall was also built to avoid noise in El Prat (the city next to the airport) and the noisy russian airplanes were banned and would never fly over Gavà Mar again.
In 1998: a commission created to enforce the so called “Pla Delta” made up of the Ministerio de Fomento (the Spanish Ministry for Infraestructures and Transport), the Generalitat (the Autonomous Catalan Government), and the City Halls of Barcelona and El Prat– was debating where to place the 3rd runway (25L/07R) of the Barcelona Airport.
Las quejas de los vecinos de Gavà Mar llegaron al Congreso de los Diputados pero la respuesta del Gobierno estatal de la época (PP) fue que todo quedaría solucionado con la construcción de la tercera pista del aeropuerto del Prat.
- Question (February 18th, 1998)
- Answer (March 18th, 1998)
Both City Halls proposed to place the new runway 1,035 m away from the main runway (07/25)
The ecologist group DEPANA’s proposal
Finally, the option chosen by the Commission was the one proposed by the Ministerio de Fomento which would place the new runway 1,350 m away from the main runway that runs parallel to the sea. In addition to this, it was also decided that the new runway would only be 2,800 m long to reduce the impact on two marine areas surrounding the airport (the lagoons of Remolar and Ricarda).
In 1999: AENA (the Spanish company that manages airports) drew up the Long Term Plan for the Airport ( el Plan Director del Aeropuerto de Barcelona)and the public administrations involved (including the local authorities of Gavà , helped by AVV Gavà Mar) presented their claims.
| Before | After |
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In this plan, AENA proposed to enlarge the main runway toward Gavà Mar. AVV Gavà Mar strongly opposed this plan and suggested that the runway be extended toward the industrial area of Zona Franca, which would avoid even closer takeoffs and landings over the neighbourhood.
Studies were undertaken to justify the construction of the 3rd runway. Here is an example of one of those studies. However, their conclusions are poor and the people affected are described simply as a small cost-benefit problem.
- Cost-benefit study on the expansion of the airport
The neighbours of Gavà Mar protested in the airport on 3 consecutive Saturdays and finally reached a solution: AENA promised to lengthen the transverse runway so that the planes would be able to take off over the sea
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November, 2000: The Ministry for Environmental Affairs finished the Estudio de Impacto Ambiental (‘Environmental Impact Study’), the so called EIA, necessary to build the 3rd runway. Various public administrations and AVV Gavà Mar disputed the plan.
- 20010522 Allegations concerning the Environmental Impact Study
In 2001, noisy Iberia Boeing 727 were no longer allowed to operate in Barcelona Airport.
January, 2002: The Central Government in Madrid passed the DIA
(‘Environmental Impact Declaration’),
which takes into account necessary environmental issues, in order to
build the runway. Unfortunately, the study does not refer to some controversial
topics leaving them aside to be discussed later. Some of these topics
are: flight routes on preferential configuration, which is the use of
runways for takeoffs and landings when weather conditions are permitting.
Moreover, the study forced the creation of a Supervisory Comission for
the construction of the new runway (CSAAB); however, the City
Hall of Gavà was not invited to take part in it. This Supervisory
Comission would decide noise limits, flight routes and preferential
configuration of takeoffs and landings.
February, 2002: After various negotiations, the City Halls of Gavà and Castelldefels were allowed to take part in the Supervisory Comission (CSSAB).
- BOE -Order PRE-229-2003 by which the CSAAB was created
At last, the main runway was enlarged towards Zona Franca and not towards Gavà Mar, like AVV Gavà Mar had proposed.
On October 10th, 2002, the foundation stone of the third runway is laid amidst chaos,
July 10th, 2003: The Supervisory Comission (CSAAB) approved the West configuration as preferential with only the vote of Castelldefels against it. Simultaneously, Gavà Mar kept growing and Central Mar was already well established; that is to say, the neighbourhood’s population grew considerably.
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AVV Gavà Mar informed neighbours on the topic and tried to contact political parties, administrative institutions and the media.
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The AVV Gavà Mar informs the neighbors and political parties about the sound prints by means of these two graphics:
Expected daytime sound prints when the third runway starts operating
Expected nighttime sound prints when the third runway starts operating
The AVV Gavà Mar publicly presents their proposal to minimize the noise in Gavà Mar. Its objective is to minimize noise as much as possible.
However, this task turned out to be very difficult because of the lack of support from the City Hall of Gavà. Furthermore, the City Hall of Gavà, basing its information on AENA said that no hassle would be caused by the new runway, which, with hindsight we can say wasn’t true.
- The City Hall of Gavà reports (May, 2005)
- Brugués (May 19th, 2004)
In response to the false information published by the City Council of Gavà, the AVV Gavà Mar sends the following document to every neighbor of Gavà Mar:
With the growing threat of the opening of the 3rd runway, AVV Gavà Mar iniciated a series of protests against it deciding to assist all the municipal meetings of Gavà to pressure the City Hall (reminder: the City Hall hadn’t supported AVV Gavà Mar’s thesis). It also went on protest marches in Gavà Mar and Castelldefels. In addition, the new web site (www.gavamar.com) became an information source and a meeting point for the neighbours.
This task bears fruit and some political parties represented in the City Council of Gavà ('EUiA', 'ERC' and 'CiU') begin echoing the AVV Gavà Mar's proposal, while asking the City Council to do the same:
- Support for the AVV Gavà Mar's proposal (April 29th, 2004)
- Support for the AVV Gavà Mar's proposal (April 29th, 2004)
The proposal of AVV Gavà Mar was debated during the plenary session and about 20 residents of Gava Mar were caused deep indignation when the councilwoman of the Environment, Bruguers Jardí (PSC), who is also the representative of the City Councill of Gavà to the CSAAB (Supervisory Commission), defended the operation of the airport with INDEPENDENT RUNWAYS and affirmed that 65dB is the noise level that an electric toothbrush make, What a real shame!
- Plenary session of the City Council of Gavà (Bruguers Jardí) (April 29th, 2004)
September
30th, 2004,
the 3rd runway started working
and AENA took advantage of the situation to change flight routes, which
meant that it was not only noise that caused disturbances but there
was also a great risk of aircrafts crashing into the neighbourhood
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| Inauguration of the third runway | Gavà Mar's complaints | ||
| (video TV3) | (video BTV) | (video TV3) | (video TV3) |
On October 19th, 2004, a very important step was taken: AVV Gavà Mar reached an agreement with the Federation of Residents Associations of Castelldefels, the Federation of Residents Associations of Gavà, the Federation of Residents Associations of El Baix Llobregat, the Federation of Commerce of Castelldefels and the Directors’ Guild of Hotel and Catering business of Castelldefels to establish a unitary stance on the problem with the following joint proposal:
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Protest
marches reached the City Hall meetings and as a result, some meetings
had to be cancelled (October
28th, 2004).
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Neighbours
went on march again cutting access to the airport on Saturday,
October
30th, 2004
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November
18th, 2004, Eventually, neighbours were banned from attending the
City Hall meeting.
Neighbours
went on march again cutting access to the airport on Saturday,
November
20th, 2004.
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| Manifestación (Video) (Antena 3) | Fiscalía investiga 3a pista (Video) (TV3) |
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Nevertheless Castelldefels also proposed to enlarge the 3rd runway towards
Zona Franca removing marine areas surrounding the airport.
- 20041123 Joint Declaration of the City Halls of Gavà and Castelldefels
- 20041123 City Halls Agreement- Padilla's declarations on Cat. Ràdio
- Castelldefels- December 2004 Bulletin (joint City Halls proposal)
On
November 29th, both Mayors went forward with the proposition and
handed it to CSAAB, yet no response was given and both City Halls
sued AENA.
November 2004: It was decided by the City Hall to build the new area of Llevant Mar near the 3rd runway.
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Programació de Llevant Mar (PAUM de Gavà) |
On December
2004 the Catalan Parliament passed a unanimous
resolution asking the proper authorities to comply with the Environmental
Impact Declaration by request of the 'PPC'.
As the situation remains the same , on December 4th, 2004, some
neighbors spontaneously demonstrate
in Castelldefels against the administration of Dídac Pestaña (Mayor of Gavà)
and cut access to the airport again on December 18th, 2004.
- Interview with Dídac Pestaña (16/12/2004) (audio)
- Catalunya Informació (News Report on 18/12/2004) (audio)
During the last three months of the year 2004, Local Police measured the noise in the neighbourhood. The findings speak for themselves:
Sound level data on Gavà Mar (2004)
In January of 2005, the Committee for the Development of Air Lanes (CDRA) was created. It is made up of the Generalitat of Catalonia, the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, the City Council of Barcelona and AENA and its objective is to promote the development of new aerial links to the Barcelona airport.
February
5th, 2005: Catalan Environmental Affairs Department
released the results of their studies, carried out over 23 days, about
the noise in the neighbourhood. The study determined that the noise
level was higher than the legal limit allowed by the Spanish legislation.
A group of neighbours also undertook their own studies about the noise
level and the results were the same.
 - Press Release (February 4th, 2005) |
- News (February 6th, 2005) |
 - Press Release
(February 5th, 2005) |
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February 7th, 8th and 9th, 2005: The Local Police undertook a new study about the noise level. The results continued to be astonishing.
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- Sound level data on Gavà Mar (february 2005) |
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February
9th, 2005: The Spanish Parliament forced AENA (thanks to 'ERC',
a Catalan political party represented in the Parliament) to implement
within 3 months antinoise measures that should have already been implemented,
as outlined in the DIA. They forced AENA to come to an agreement with
Local Councils over temporary flight routes. The Parliament also asked
AENA to study those routes proposed by AVV Gavà Mar taking into
account new noise limits that would be implemented in 2008, according
to EU Regulations. Maximum noise permitted will be 55 db during the
day and 45 db at night.
- Resolution approved by the Congress of Representatives (February 9th, 2005)
During the month of February 2005, AVV Gavà Mar carried a CRIMINAL COMPLAINT to the Courts of Gavà interposed against the technicians of the Ministry of ‘Fomento’ and AENA that were responsible for putting the third runway into operation under flagrant violation of the law in force and with complete disregard for the Environmental Impact Declaration. The number 4 court of Gavà has already passed the complaint on to the Attorney General’s office.
, but without
cutting public access to the airport.February
20th, 2005: the Defensor del Pueblo (an ombudsman nominated
by the Spanish Parliament to defend the rights of citizens against government
maladministration) showed his support for Gavà Mar’s complaints.
February
23rd, 2005: AENA presented the City Hall of Gavà with
their own studies about the noise level after a 4 month delay. The findings
revealed that the noise pollution Gavà Mar endures is extremely
high, which now makes 3 studies with the same results.
That same day, AENA’s brand new control tower to monitor flight routes for the Mediterranean started operating in Gavà. Ironically, now the situation is even more peculiar: we ourselves produce the disturbances and danger from inside our own municipal terminal.
- Press Release
- Gavà Center for Air Traffic Control
March
12th, 2005: New wind tolerance limits were applied to reduce
the number of landings over the neighbourhood, which AVV Gavà
Mar had been demanding for a long time. However, AVV Gavà Mar
emphasized that “any single landing is illegal according to the
many studies carried out. Consequently, none of the planes in Barcelona
Airport should use the 3rd runway”.
- Press Release - reduction of east configuration (March 11th, 2005)
- Reduction of the EAST configuration's use (audio) (March 11th, 2005)
- Declarations of the vice president of Gavà Mar's residents association (March 12th, 2005)
- Video emitido en el Telenotícies de TV3 (March 12th, 2005)
However, AVV Gavà Mar demanded long term solutions in writing and not only provisional. Consequently, on March 19th 2005, neighbours went on a protest march again with approximately 400 people taking part. Given that it was Holy Week, they simulated a procession in the airport terminal.
March 21st, 2005: The Central Government asked for a revision of the noise levels of the main Spanish airports.
April, 2005: The Síndic de Greuges (Catalan Defensor del Pueblo)informed the neighbours of Gavà Mar that they were taking into consideration their complaints and that 3 courses of action were pending: one petitioned by Gavà City Hall and 2 by the local neighbours. They would present a resolution when the information requested from public administrations was available.
April
8th, 2005: First meeting, among the President of AENA, representatives
of the Ministerio de Fomento, the mayors of Gavà and Castelldefels
and representatives from the local neighbourhoods associations was held
in Madrid. Agreement was reached to create a new Technical Commission, which would try to reach a consensus over the noise problem without
setting established air routes.
April 19th, 2005: A Catalan TV Channel (Canal 33) aired a documentary in which children from Gavà Mar explained the many problems generated by the 3rd runway (the narrator made a mistake by saying 600 neighbours in Gavà Mar instead of the actual 6,000).
- Documentary "Disturbing Planes" (Canal 33) (video)
April
20th, 2005: G4, a Catalan lobbyist group (The Chamber
of Commerce, The Economy Club, Fomento del Trabajo and the foundation
RACC) asked authorities to use the third runway to its full potential.
By chance, that day AENA stopped using runway 02/20, and the noise came
back to Gavà Mar after barely one month of peace.
 - Press Release (April 20th, 2005) |
.gif',440,570)){kind=small} - News (April 21st, 2005) |
April
29th, 2005: The Catalan Parliament presented a non legally
binding proposition in which political parties showed their support
for the resolution previously passed by the Spanish Parliament 3 months
earlier. It pressed for the 3rd runway to be used in a southern direction
(for takeoffs as well as for landings) in order to minimize the noise.
It also would have to be previously agreed upon by the City Halls of
Gavà and Castelldefels and the Catalan Autonomous Government.
- Parliament of Catalonia's non legally binding Proposition
May 13th, 2005: AENA released to the media the announcement of its acoustic isolation gathering of housing affected by the Barcelona Plan.
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May 13th,2005. TSJM (Spanish High Court) minimally recognized the problem and forced AENA to not use the third runway for landing over Gavà Mar in an east configuration during:
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Nights - Saturday afternoons - Sunday mornings |
- Sentence of the High Court (May 13rd, 2005) |
While the Technical Commission continued working, AENA kept harping on the subject thus generating a growing tension in the neighbourhood. AENA themselves collected data to show the growing mistreatment of Gavà Mar’s citizens.
The new wind regulations, which came into effect on March 12th 2005, were supposed to reduce the use of the third runway in an eastern direction to only 7.5% of the time; however, actual events proved otherwise:
- The 3rd runway’s use over Gavà Mar at any time of the day is amazing. April (30% of the time), May (48.39% of the time), June (43.33%) and July (22.58%).
- The use of runway 02/20 plummets from 40% in April to 0% in June.
- The use of main runway (25R/07L) for take offs over Gavà Mar soars from 37% of the time in April to 90% in June.
- Due to problems in the airport the third runway was also used for takeoffs over Gavà Mar on June 10th and August 11th. Some of the planes were able to turn before flying over the neighbourhood proving that AVV Gavà Mar’s proposal could be done without any problems.
- On July 8th a new flight from Barcelona to Shanghai started operating every Friday night at 22:50. However in the first few weeks this flight was delayed at least one hour and flew over Gavà Mar during nigh time hours. It should be emphasized that a Boeing 747 flying over the neighbourhood at night makes an incredible amount of noise.
On May 28th, 2005, the Baix Llobregat 'ICV' Regional Assembly passed a resolution on the problems posed by the Barcelona airport, requesting that all necessary studies be carried out and demanding that the citizens' quality of life be given priority before other interests. This statement is crucial because it sets the stance of the El Prat City Council and the Catalan Ministry of the Environment -both ruled by 'ICV'-.
- Baix Llobregat 'ICV' regional resolution (May 28th, 2005)
July 13th, 2005. The court of El Prat agreed to undertake the proceedings against AENA that had been transferred from Gavà’s courts. The complaint also included medical studies carried out by psychiatry experts.
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Negotiations among AENA, the Generalitat and the City Halls of Gavà and Castelldefels became tense when Castelldefels (sadly due to the mayor’s selfish attitude) backed out of the agreement previously signed in November 2004 with the City Hall of Gavà, thus slowing down the process for months.
July
28th, 2005. Finally the last meeting among AENA, the residents’
associations and the City Halls was held in Madrid and based on the
studies’ results it was decided:
- WEST CONFIGURATION: Takeoffs will use the 3rd runway (25L/07R) and will turn 60º towards the sea.
- EAST CONFIGURATION: Landings will use the main runway (25R/07L) instead of the third runway.These proposals should be approved by the CSAAB in a meeting to be held in the beginning of October. If approved, a period of at least 9 months will be needed to complete the works in the airport allowing the proposal’s implementation:
- Gavà Mar's residents association reports
- 20050729 Agreement with AENA (Video shooted on local TVs)
On
October 27th, 2005 AENA's new TMA
-which was initially planned for the month of May 2005- begins operation.
With the new TMA, AENA gains some operating capacity but, in exchange,
the same disturbances continue for Gavà Mar and Castelldefels
Beach while further extending them to all of Castelldefels,
Les Botigues de Sitges and Begues causing motions and declarations within their City Councils.
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- AIP - Barcelona Airport (new TMA)
November 14th, 2005. After various setbacks the CSAAB finally approved the global proposition.
The members of the AVV Gavà Mar's committee have dinner together to celebrate this approval after such a long time of struggle. Víctor Barriales -the AVV Gavà Mar and City Council's technician part of the team that had the idea of the BY-PASS- invites us.
On November 27th, 2005, the neighbors of Castelldefels take part in a demonstration at AENA's Air Control Center located in Gavà to complain about the AENA's new TMA.
November
29th, 2005. AENA confirmed its approval to begin construction
of a BYPASS between the runways of the Barcelona airport. It would invest
11 million euros over a period of 9 months:
The City Hall of Gavà made known the advantages of the global proposition while emphasizing that the main objective is that the airport would not operate simultaneously with both runways in the future. The Mayor also expressed his intention to take part in all forums in which the airport’s future would be discussed.
The City Hall of El Prat recognized publicly that they will also benefit from the global proposition, which will entail 10db less media with respect to the current flight configurations.
- El Prat - (December 2005) Municipal Magazine
In the beginning of December 2005, a report carried out by the 'Mossos d'Esquadra' (the autonomous Catalan police) by order of the 'Fiscalia de Medi Ambient' (District Attorney for Environmental Affairs) was made known. The conclusions are persuasive: It demonstrates that AENA is responsible for a crime against the environment and its natural resources, as outlined in article 325 of the penal code, with a presumed violation of the following rights: the right to enjoy an adequate environment for the development of the people, the right to the protection of health, the right to intimacy and the right to well being and to quality life for the citizens of Gavà Mar
- Conclusions
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On December
16th 2005. The President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Pasqual
Maragall, visited
Gavà and Castelldefels and promised to minimize the disturbances
caused by the airport.
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On
January 29th, 2006, the neighbors of Castelldefels demonstrate
for the second time at the airport of El Prat.
On
February 5th, 2006, the AVV Gavà Mar meets those
affected by the Barajas expansion in the North of Madrid at the
Barcelona airport in order to exchange experiences and face the
future together.
On
February 15th, 2006, AENA issues a press release in which
it informs of the appointment of a new director for the Barcelona
airport (Ferran Echegaray) to substitute Antoni Pedrós,
who was the director since 1997.
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-Press Release |
 - Interview (May 1st, 2006) |
On
April 2nd, 2006, the neighbors of Castelldefels demonstrate
at Plaça
Sant Jaume in Barcelona (right in front of the 'Generalitat' headquarters).
On April
7th, 2006, the media informs about the decision of the 'Fiscal
de Medi Ambient' (José Joaquín Pérez
de Gregorio) to solicit the preventive closure of the third runway
for landings over Gavà Mar in the east configuration. He
clearly saw indications of ecological crimes basing them on the
report carried out by the 'Mossos d'Esquadra' that was made public
at the beginning of December 2005.
| -News 20060407 |
 - News 20060408 |
On
May 7th, 2006, the neighbors of Castelldefels demonstrate
for the third time at the airport of El Prat.
On
May 10th, 2006, the AVV Gavà Mar lodges a formal complaint
before the European Union against
the noise pollution caused by the landing of planes on the third runway
of the Barcelona airport in the EAST configuration.
| (May 13th, 2006) |
 (May 9th, 2006) |
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On May 18th, 2006, the City Council of Castelldefels publishes the following manifesto in the main Catalan newspapers:
In June of 2006, the 'Ministerio de Fomento' publishes an article about the state of the works of the Barcelona Plan in its monthly magazine:
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On June 16th, 2006, the government confirms in a written answer to a question formulated by 'ICV' that the new daytime configurations of El Prat airport will go into effect on October 29th, 2006, while the nighttime ones will go into effect during the first trimester of 2007. In a recent meeting between AVV Gavà Mar and AENA they confirmed to us that daytime configurations will become effective a little bit earlier (on October 26th, 2006).
- Question (May 3rd, 2006) |
- Answer (June 16th, 2006) |
On
July 9th, 2006, the neighbors of Castelldefels demonstrate
for the fourth time at the airport of El Prat complaining especially
about the noise caused by night flights.
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On July 13th, 2006, the Minister of ‘Fomento’ (Magdalena Álvarez)
visits the El Prat airport and reports the annual maximum figures of the airport: 55 million travelers instead of the 40 million that had always been measured (The justification stems from the increase in capacity that the old terminal has suffered). |
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On July 20th 2006, the Secretary of Mobility of the Generalitat (Manel Nadal) participates in a press conference with the Director of the Airport (Ferran Echegaray) to present the new flight that connects El Prat with Singapor and he affirms that a new satellite terminalwill be built which will allow El Prat to reach a new annual maximum figure of 70 million travelers . |
- Manel Nadal’ statements (July 20th, 2006) (audio)
On July 25th, 2006, AENA announces to the public that Iberia is losing its ‘handling’ contract with the Barcelona airport .
On July 28th, the employees of this company caused an enormous breakdown of the El Prat airport leaving their posts, occupying the runways and forcing the airport to close for 11 hours right in the middle of peak travel time to go on vacation
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The following day is chaotic as well as the day after .
All kinds of political reactions and editorials appear in the media
On July 30th, 2006, the City Council of Castelldefels organizes a gathering in the Plaça de les Palmeres to protest against the noise of the airplanes.
On September 24th, 2006, AVV Gavà Mar finished a round of interviews, which were held during the summer. In chronological order, we talked to the following personalities :
- Secretary of Mobility of the Generalitat’s Territorial Politics Department (Manel Nadal)
- The new director of the Barcelona airport (Ferran Echegaray)
- AENA’s highest technical representative (Ángel Gallego)
- Leader of CiU (Artur Mas)
- ICV deputy from the Spanish Government's Chamber of Deputies (Joan Herrera)
- ERC secretary general (Joan Puigcercós)
- PPC leader (Josep Piqué)
- PSC first secretary and current President of the Generalitat (José Montilla)
We presented our problems to them, as well as our proposal in favour of operating the airport with segregated runways beyond the opening of the new terminal of the Barcelona airport.
| On October 26th, 2006, the new daytime flight configurations of El Prat airport came into effect . These are aimed at minimizing noise in all coastal areas of El Baix Llobregat while guaranteeing the operational capacity of the airport, as shown by the increase in operations from 58 to 61. |
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- El Bruguers newspaper (November 6th, 2006) |
- El Castell magazine(November 4th, 2006) |
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| - El Prat City Council’s magazine (December 2006) |
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| On October 27th, 2006 the mayors of Viladecans (Carles Ruiz), Gavà (Joaquim Balsera) and Castelldefels (Antoni Padilla), who represent 170,000 inhabitants, presented a joint statement in which they requested the new flight configuration be applied even when the new terminal of El Prat airport starts operating |
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On November 15th, 2006, the names of those accused in the criminal complaint were made public. The complaint was presented as a result of the third runway being put into service.The names are as follows: |
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On February 3rd, 2007 , after two years' delay, the new control tower of El Prat airport began to operate
On February 7th, 2007, the City Council of Gavà presented the OMSA (Municipal Office for the Control of the Airport). It is located in Gavà City Hall instead of in Gavà Mar, as they had originally promised to comply with our wishes.
On February 15th, 2007, the new nighttime configurations of El Prat airport began to operate. This solved to a great extent the SECOND BIG PROBLEM of Gavà Mar. The overall acoustic pollution dramatically decreased from the first day. Nevertheless problems continue to exist with planes making an incorrect turn from the third runway and the frequent use of the East configuration, which spoil the implementation of the new nighttime configurations.
On March 22nd, 2007, the Catalan civil society held a meeting in IESE to support an intercontinental airport. AVV Gavà Mar also attended the meeting to obtain firsthand information.
On March 26th, 2007, the Barcelona airport increased its operational capacity from 61 to 62 operations per hour.
On May 3rd, 2007, the Mayors of Begues, Castelldefels, El Prat, Gavà, Sant Boi, Sitges and Viladecans presented a joint statement in which they called for a responsible airport that efficiently and steadily guarantees the rights of the people and the land. In their opinion, this could only happen if the airport operates with segregated runways. . The Mayor of Gavà (Joaquim Balsera) is the man behind this joint statement.
On May 10th, 2007 , the City Council of Castelldefels presented the OMSICA (Municipal Office for the Control and Monitoring of the Airport).
Two political parties (ERC and Ciutadans) include moving the OMSA to Gavà Mar in their election program for the local elections held in May 2007.
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On June 14th, 2007, the Spanish Government's Chamber of Deputies passed a resolution after the non-legally binding propositions presented by ‘ERC’ and ‘CiU’. The resolution urged the Government to find permanent solutions aimed at achieving the highest operational capacity of the airport once the new South terminal begins to operate while ensuring the best environmental conditions along the lines of the existing ones.
On July 18th, 2007, the three people imputed with criminal charges testify by videoconference.
On July 24th, 2007, the CSAAB technical group held its 12th meeting, in which AENA accepted to continue operating with segregated runways until the year 2010. This decision will need to be officially approved by the CSAAB next September.
In november 2007, he capacity of El Prat airport increased from 62 to 64 operations per hour and part of the aircraft parking platform was put into service in the future South terminal.
During the first months of 2008, the growth of El Prat airport dramatically stagnated due to the economic crisis and the arrival of the high speed train to Barcelona (AVE) . It does not increase its capacity during the summer season and remains at 64 operations per hour.
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