Overview
- The tourism industry’s cluster proposed shifting Vigo and A Coruña toward business travel and Santiago toward leisure, and reactions that grew over the weekend from Vigo and Santiago officials rejected the idea as harmful to their airports.
- Aena’s passenger surveys show a narrow leisure gap between Santiago and Vigo, with 62% leisure travelers at Santiago and 57% at Vigo, which undercuts the premise that the two airports serve clearly different markets.
- Cluster president Cesáreo Pardal defended the proposals on Sunday and said localism has cost routes, while urging the region to hire a professional negotiator for airlines and to create a fund to attract new flights.
- Santiago’s airport is scheduled to close for runway works from April 23 to May 27, which is expected to push some traffic to Vigo and A Coruña for several weeks.
- Early‑2026 figures show sharp drops in passengers, including about 8.1% down at Vigo in January and 23.9% down at Santiago, and recent cuts such as Ryanair leaving its last A Coruña–Stansted route add pressure to restore connectivity for residents and businesses.