Iberia pide activar un nuevo control de pasaportes en la T4 para ganar vuelos de largo

Iberia has requested the activation of a new passport control in the T4 satellite area of Madrid Barajas airport to facilitate long-haul flights to the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, and Canada. The airline believes this move could reduce travel times for these routes and free up space in the T4S satellite area to accommodate more long-haul connections.

These connections become particularly important during times when certain hours are becoming congested. Iberia estimates that around 50 daily flights could operate through this new area, with approximately 7,500 passengers passing through. The sector calculates that the airport's theoretical capacity for daily passengers is 70 million, which could be reached this year.

Currently, flights within the Schengen area do not require passport controls since there are no restrictions on movement, while those connecting to areas outside the Schengen area are managed in the satellite area. Airline connections that would be redirected to the T4 satellite area include those of the four mentioned countries, as their controls and security status are recognized by Spain.

Iberia states that this measure will benefit its customers by minimizing connection times between terminals, particularly for business routes such as Madrid-London, which is also operated from the satellite area. However, other airlines flying to non-Schengen countries, such as Avianca, American Airlines, Latam, Qatar, or Emirates, would also benefit from the additional capacity freed up in the satellite area.

It's worth noting that Aena is currently proposing a limitation on the growth of air traffic in certain hours and zones of Barajas and El Prat airports due to the increasing congestion. Additionally, passengers flying on these types of routes represent a significant user segment for Aena and tourism, as they typically have higher purchasing power and spend more at the airport. The Interior Ministry has not commented on the matter.