Malaga airport is the only major Spanish airport to keep just one of its runways open which, considering the record number of passengers during the summer, regularly causes delays in landings and take offs of up to 45 minutes.
These delays come with an economic cost for airlines as a result of increased fuel consumption, customer complaints or fines imposed for lack of punctuality.
The pilots' union, Sepla, has also brought up potential safety issues, stating that two runways will increase the safety threshold.
Last summer, both runways were in use at weekends from 11 July until 31 August, as well as the last two weekends in September to cope with the high density of traffic. This increased air traffic again brought about a rise in the number of both regular and luxury car transfers from Malaga airport to Marbella, Puerto Banus and the surrounding areas. Thus, two permanently open runways would greatly increase the number of passengers arriving into Malaga airport on a daily basis and would greatly benefit all the car transfer services and other related services from the airport.
Two open runways would also mean that bigger long distance airplanes would finally arrive at a more regular basis into Malaga airport like planned. There are plans of more flights from Turkey, the Middle East, USA and Asia specially China. People flying in from these destinations are in general clients for more luxury services like luxury transfers and daily chauffeur services, excursions and hiring close protection services and body guards.
