Opposition to the planned transformation of Ibiza Airport is gathering momentum, with the Associació de Joves d'Eivissa (AJE) launching a new signature campaign demanding that the project be stopped.

The initiative comes as campaigners prepare for a major demonstration against Aena's plans on September 20. Organisers say they want to use the growing public opposition to send a clear message to the Consell d'Eivissa: they do not believe there is room for negotiation over projects they consider likely to increase pressure on the island.

The online petition had already collected more than 1,400 signatures when the campaign was announced on September 3, according to Noudiari.

Physical copies of the petition are also being distributed at locations around Ibiza, with signatures due to be collected until September 18.

The campaign is being led by AJE and supported by a growing group of environmental, neighbourhood and civic organisations.

AJE launches a new signature campaign

The Associació de Joves d'Eivissa has moved beyond its planned September 20 demonstration by launching a parallel campaign to collect signatures against the airport project.

The petition calls for the planned works to be halted and links the project to concerns about increasing mass tourism and the consequences for Ibiza's quality of life.

The wording of the petition presents the issue as a question of the island's future, arguing that increased mass tourism would place further pressure on residents and resources.

The campaigners are not limiting their opposition to whether Aena officially defines the project as an expansion or a modernisation.

Their position is that the overall works should be stopped if they contribute to increasing the island's pressure and saturation.

More than 1,400 online signatures

When AJE announced the campaign, more than 1,400 people had already signed the petition online.

The organisers are now attempting to increase that number through physical signature sheets distributed around Ibiza.

The paper signatures will be collected at the headquarters of the Institut d'Estudis Eivissencs until September 18.

The campaign is therefore intended to gather both online and physical support before the groups meet representatives of the Consell after the planned demonstration.

The organisers say the final number of signatures will be presented to Ibiza Council president Vicent Marí.

Campaigners want a clear position from the Consell

AJE spokesman Víctor Torres told Noudiari that representatives of the campaign will meet Vicent Marí on September 21, one day after the demonstration.

The campaigners intend to hand over the signatures collected by that point.

They also want the Consell to adopt what they consider to be a clear position on Aena's plans.

Torres said the organisations do not believe there is any possibility of negotiation over the project in its current form.

The message is therefore intended to put political pressure on the island institution before decisions concerning the airport project move further ahead.

The September 20 demonstration

The signature campaign is being organised alongside a demonstration scheduled for Sunday, September 20.

AJE announced the demonstration earlier in the week, calling for a major mobilisation against the planned airport works.

The campaign is being supported by environmental organisations including Amics de la Terra, GEN-GOB, Salvem sa Badia and the Institut d'Estudis Eivissencs.

Neighbourhood organisations from areas around the airport are also involved, including groups representing Can Frígoles, Can Palleu, Sa Caleta and es Rafal Trobat.

Other organisations are reportedly considering joining the mobilisation.

The demonstration is intended to show that opposition extends beyond the immediate neighbourhoods around the airport.

Why the airport plans are controversial

Aena describes its Ibiza Airport project as a modernisation designed to bring the terminal into line with new European security requirements and improve passenger processing.

The company says the works are not intended to increase the airport's operational capacity.

However, opponents point to the physical scale of the proposed changes as evidence that the project could ultimately facilitate greater passenger activity.

The plans include additional terminal space, changes to the boarding areas, a new pier for non-Schengen passengers and an increase in the number of boarding gates to 32.

These details have become central to the debate.

Aena plans 32 boarding gates

One of the most frequently cited elements of the project is the proposed increase in boarding gates.

Aena's plans provide for a total of 32 gates following the renovation of the boarding area.

The company says this is necessary to separate Schengen and non-Schengen passenger flows and to meet new European border-control requirements.

A new pier dedicated to passengers travelling to or from destinations outside the Schengen area is also planned.

Aena argues that these changes will improve passenger processing, security and punctuality.

Campaigners are concerned that expanding the physical infrastructure could eventually contribute to increased traffic through the airport, regardless of how Aena defines the project's operational capacity.

The project could extend towards es Codolar

Another major point of concern is the planned development on the side of the airport closest to es Codolar.

Technical documents associated with the project include changes to infrastructure in this area.

Campaigners say the proposals involve extending airport facilities towards land close to Can Palleu and the beach of es Codolar, which borders the Parc Natural de ses Salines.

The precise final design could change as the project progresses, but the published technical documentation has already generated significant concern among environmental groups and local residents.

The Torrent de sa Font is another focus

The campaigners are also particularly concerned about the Torrent de sa Font.

The watercourse runs alongside the airport before reaching es Codolar.

The technical plans include proposals involving the partial or complete covering of the torrent, with airport infrastructure potentially being developed above the area.

That has become particularly sensitive because of the ongoing investigation into wastewater and possible contamination involving the same watercourse.

The Balearic Government has confirmed that an investigation into the airport's wastewater treatment system remains open and that Aena is currently prohibited from discharging water into the torrent while the proceedings continue.

Water consumption is a central concern

The campaigners are also highlighting Ibiza's water resources.

The island's water situation has become increasingly sensitive following a summer in which reserves fell significantly.

At the end of August, Ibiza's water reserves stood at 37%, down from 42% in July and 47% in June.

The combination of water scarcity and increasing tourism-related demand is being used by opponents of the airport project to argue that future infrastructure development should take the island's resource limits into account.

The signature campaign specifically highlights water consumption as one of the reasons for opposing the airport works.

Noise and light pollution are also being raised

Environmental pressure is not the only concern.

The petition also raises the potential impact of increased airport infrastructure on noise and light pollution.

Residents living around the airport already experience aircraft movements and other airport-related activity.

Campaigners argue that additional infrastructure and greater activity could increase the existing burden.

The groups also say that Aena has not done enough to address unnecessary lighting affecting nearby residents.

Concerns about long-haul flights

The campaigners have also raised concerns about the possible arrival of long-haul flights.

Aena's planned separation of Schengen and non-Schengen traffic is a major component of the proposed redesign.

For opponents, the creation of infrastructure specifically adapted to non-Schengen traffic raises questions about the future evolution of Ibiza's air connections.

However, it is important to distinguish between the existence of infrastructure capable of handling non-Schengen passengers and any confirmed plan to introduce particular long-haul routes.

The available information does not establish that specific new long-haul services have been approved as a result of the project.

Traffic and industrial activity

The campaigners also fear that the airport works could increase road traffic and industrial activity around the airport.

The area already experiences significant traffic during Ibiza's peak tourism season.

Additional airport infrastructure could mean further construction activity and potentially greater pressure on surrounding roads and services.

Opponents therefore want the airport project considered alongside the island's wider transport and infrastructure situation rather than as an isolated investment.

Aena says the project is about modernisation

Aena's position is different from that of the campaigners.

The airport operator says the planned works are primarily driven by new European requirements governing border controls and security.

The existing arrangement, in which border checks can take place at individual boarding gates, is no longer considered suitable for the future regulatory environment.

The project therefore includes a centralised passport-control area and separate flows for Schengen and non-Schengen passengers.

Aena also says its goal is to improve passenger experience and operational efficiency.

The company has stated that it does not intend to increase operational airport capacity.

The project is expected to be implemented from 2030

The airport works are not due to begin immediately.

Aena has previously said that execution of the Ibiza Airport remodelling project is expected to begin from around 2030.

The project therefore remains in the planning and development stage.

This gives opponents time to campaign against the proposals and for political institutions to debate their potential consequences.

It also means the final design and details of the works may still change before construction begins.

DORA III is an important part of the process

The airport project is linked to DORA III, the Documento de Regulación Aeroportuaria covering the 2027-2031 investment period.

Aena's investment programme includes projects at airports across Spain.

The Ibiza project forms part of this wider investment framework.

The final approval of DORA III is an important milestone because it determines the regulatory and investment framework for Aena's airport network during the next five-year period.

For accuracy, the relevant deadline is September 30, 2026. September has 30 days, despite the September 3 Noudiari article containing a reference to "September 31."

Why the timing matters

The campaigners consider September particularly important because of the progress of DORA III and the wider planning process surrounding Ibiza Airport.

They want political institutions to take a position before the project becomes more advanced.

The September 20 demonstration and September 21 meeting with the Consell are therefore strategically timed.

The campaigners intend to present both their signatures and their broader political demands directly to the island government.

The Consell is under pressure from both sides

The Consell d'Eivissa occupies an important position in the debate.

The island institution has previously expressed concern about an excessive increase in airport capacity.

At the same time, Aena has presented the project as a modernisation necessary to meet regulatory requirements and improve the airport's operation.

The Consell therefore faces pressure to reconcile infrastructure improvements with policies aimed at controlling tourism pressure.

The latest signature campaign is specifically designed to push the institution towards a clear position against the project.

Previous opposition had already exceeded 1,000 signatures

The latest campaign is not the first petition against the airport project.

In August, another petition launched by the Can Frígoles neighbourhood association had already passed 1,000 signatures online.

That earlier petition reflected growing concern among residents close to the airport and called for the planned works to be reconsidered.

The new AJE campaign therefore adds another layer to an opposition movement that has been growing since details of Aena's technical proposals became public.

Environmental groups are joining the opposition

The growing list of supporting organisations demonstrates that the issue is not limited to one neighbourhood.

Amics de la Terra, GEN-GOB, Salvem sa Badia and the Institut d'Estudis Eivissencs are among the environmental and civic groups supporting the mobilisation.

Neighbourhood associations near the airport have also joined.

Their concerns include water consumption, protection of the Ses Salines natural park, noise, light pollution, traffic and the potential impact of increased tourism pressure.

The groups do not necessarily share identical positions on every aspect of the project, but they are united in opposing what they see as an unacceptable increase in airport-related pressure.

The airport debate is linked to Ibiza's wider tourism model

At its heart, the controversy is about more than a terminal building.

Opponents see airport infrastructure as one of the mechanisms that determines how many people can reach the island and how much tourism activity Ibiza can accommodate.

They argue that the island is already dealing with major problems involving housing, water, traffic, waste and environmental pressure.

From this perspective, improving airport infrastructure without addressing those issues first risks reinforcing an already difficult situation.

Aena, meanwhile, maintains that the project is designed around regulatory, security and operational needs rather than an increase in capacity.

A debate over the meaning of "expansion"

The terminology itself has become politically significant.

Aena describes the project as a remodelling or modernisation.

Opponents frequently refer to it as an expansion because the plans include more terminal space, new passenger infrastructure and 32 boarding gates.

The difference does not simply concern language.

The central question is whether the physical expansion of the airport can occur without increasing the number of passengers or flights the airport can ultimately handle.

Aena says that it can.

Campaigners remain unconvinced.

Campaigners say "there is no negotiation"

Víctor Torres, speaking on behalf of AJE, has taken a particularly firm position.

He says the campaigners want to tell the Consell that there is "no negotiation possible" regarding Aena's plans.

The statement reflects the group's view that the appropriate response is to stop the project rather than modify individual elements.

The planned September 21 meeting will therefore be an important moment for the campaign, as representatives expect to present the signatures and explain their position directly to the Consell president.

What happens next?

The immediate next stage is the collection of more signatures.

Physical petition sheets will remain available around Ibiza, with the campaigners planning to collect them until September 18.

The September 20 demonstration will then provide the main public mobilisation.

On September 21, the day after the demonstration, AJE and supporting organisations are expected to meet Vicent Marí and present the accumulated signatures.

At the same time, the broader airport planning process will continue, with the DORA III timetable providing an important political and regulatory backdrop.

What is confirmed about the petition?

The Associació de Joves d'Eivissa has launched a signature campaign opposing Aena's Ibiza Airport project.

The online petition had collected more than 1,400 signatures as of September 3.

Physical signature sheets are being distributed around Ibiza.

Paper signatures are due to be collected until September 18.

A demonstration against the airport project is scheduled for September 20.

Campaign representatives plan to meet Consell president Vicent Marí on September 21.

The organisations intend to deliver the collected signatures at that meeting.

The campaign argues that the airport project could contribute to greater tourism pressure and negatively affect residents' quality of life.

Environmental concerns include water consumption, the Torrent de sa Font, noise, light pollution and potential effects on the area around Ses Salines.

Aena maintains that the project is a modernisation designed to meet European requirements and improve airport operations rather than increase operational capacity.

Ibiza's airport debate enters a decisive month

The new petition marks another escalation in the growing opposition to Aena's plans for Ibiza Airport.

More than 1,400 people had already signed the online petition when AJE announced the campaign, with organisers now seeking additional support through physical signatures.

The timing is deliberate.

September will see a major demonstration, a meeting with the Consell and important steps in the regulatory process surrounding the airport's future.

The campaigners want to make it clear that they oppose the project as a whole and believe Ibiza cannot continue adding infrastructure without considering the island's existing limits.

Aena's position remains that the works are necessary to modernise the airport and comply with European regulations, without increasing operational capacity.

That disagreement is unlikely to disappear soon.

With the planned September 20 demonstration approaching, the debate over what kind of airport Ibiza needs, and what level of tourism the island can accommodate, is set to become one of the most important political and environmental discussions of the autumn.

Key Facts

Campaign launched by: Associació de Joves d'Eivissa (AJE)

Date announced: September 3, 2026

Online signatures at launch: More than 1,400

Petition demand: Stop the planned Ibiza Airport works

Physical signatures collected until: September 18

Planned demonstration: September 20, 2026

Meeting with Consell president Vicent Marí: September 21, 2026

Supporting organisations include: Amics de la Terra, GEN-GOB, Salvem sa Badia, Institut d'Estudis Eivissencs and neighbourhood groups from Can Frígoles, Can Palleu, Sa Caleta and es Rafal Trobat

Airport operator: Aena

Planned boarding gates after remodelling: 32

Planned project implementation: From around 2030

Aena's position: Modernisation and regulatory adaptation without an increase in operational capacity

Main concerns raised by campaigners: Tourism pressure, water consumption, noise, light pollution, traffic, industrial activity and proximity to the Parc Natural de ses Salines

DORA III period: 2027-2031

DORA III final approval deadline: September 30, 2026