BARDC PRESS RELEASE: The BARDC's objectives focus on increasing connectivity of key direct intercontinental routes via Barcelona-Catalonia to Asia and America

• The Barcelona Air Routes Development Committee (BARDC) has once again participated in the annual Routes World fair, held in Bahrain in 2024, with representation from all its members – Aena, Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, and the Government of Catalonia, as well as the Catalan Tourism Board and Barcelona Tourism Board.

• This is the most important congress in the world where airlines, destinations, and airports meet to promote air routes. During the 3 days of the congress, the BARDC held a total of 30 meetings with airlines, airports, and Government Tourism Agencies.

• One of the main conclusions is that airlines, especially Asian airlines, are very interested in opening new routes. In addition, American airlines or airlines operating in North America noted the good results of their routes this year and reaffirmed their intention to study an increase in frequencies on routes they already operate and being able to operate new routes and destinations in the near future.

The Barcelona Air Routes Development Committee (BARDC) participated, as it usually does, in Routes World 2024, which this year was held in Bahrain from 6 to 8 October. Routes World is the reference event that brings together airlines, airports, and other agents interested in the development of air routes.

The BARDC held a total of 30 meetings with airlines, airports, and government tourism agencies. Almost half of these meetings were with Asian airlines and airports, all of whom showed their interest in studying opportunities for opening routes to various destinations not yet served and with great potential for Barcelona.

The BARDC continues to act as a one-stop shop for airlines to promote new intercontinental routes; to reinforce existing routes, and to facilitate the reestablishment of routes pending recovery at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. For this reason, the BARDC has the collaboration and support of different institutions and entities of the territory and the city of Barcelona involved in the economic promotion of the destination, such as the Catalan Tourism Agency, ACCIÓ, Barcelona Tourism Board, Port of Barcelona, and Barcelona-Catalonia Logistics Centre (BCL), among others.

Outlook for 2024 and 2025

According to “Eurocontrol”, the recovery of the number of flights in Europe compared to 2019 should be 98% by the end of March 2024. Even so, intercontinental routes, the most complex ones, have not yet fully recovered.

Airlines are experiencing difficulties in the delivery of aircraft orders. In general, they expect to take delivery of new aircraft which could influence the opening of new routes in Barcelona or the growth of existing routes between 2024 and 2026.

Existing routes in the pre-pandemic months have all been recovered, with the sole exception of Lima, which is still being worked on to become operational again.

Highlights of the Routes World 2024 meetings:

- There are severe delays in aircraft deliveries, compounded by the difficulties at Boeing. Awaited deliveries for the coming years will be much slower than anticipated. However, opportunities are expected to be created in 2025 and 2026. In addition to the shortage of aircraft, there is also a shortage of crews.

- The new narrow-body aircraft that can fly long-haul (Airbus A321XLR) are bringing about a change in long-haul operations, which could create new opportunities for Barcelona airport.

- The main secondary Chinese cities targeted by Barcelona are Xi'an, Chongqing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou.

- Taiwan is becoming a destination with great potential, thanks to the consolidation of Barcelona as a European city specialising in the microchip industry.

- The BARDC is working to find an operator for the Barcelona-Lima route, lost due to the pandemic, where a remarkable growth of indirect demand has been recorded.

- There is a potential to attract operators interested in routes to cities in the United States and Canada, such as Orlando, Tampa, Denver, Detroit, Phoenix, Houston, and Vancouver, due to existing high demand.

- Would-be operators of the Tokyo route see the great market potential of Barcelona but find themselves in a difficult situation due to Russian-Ukrainian airspace restrictions, long delays in aircraft delivery, and a lack of crews.

- Barcelona remains a prestigious global brand, and BARDC members have perceived that interest in the city and its territory remains high, in both business and cultural terms, as well as the resilience and competitiveness of its brand on a global scale.

- In general, companies are concerned about developments in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon, as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

News:

- Air China and Shenzhen Airlines consolidate their routes in Barcelona.

- Several airlines are studying new direct intercontinental routes in Barcelona, such as Delhi, Taiwan, Bangkok, Bahrain...

Source: BARDC/gpa.aero