Thousands of people took to the streets of Ibiza on Sunday, September 20, to protest against the planned remodelling of Ibiza Airport, while a separate demonstration in Palma attracted hundreds of participants opposed to further airport growth and tourism promotion.

The two protests were held on the same day amid growing debate over the future of air traffic in the Balearic Islands following the approval of the DORA III airport regulatory framework for 2027-2031.

Thousands Gather in Ibiza

The Ibiza demonstration was organised by the Associació de Joves d'Eivissa and supported by around 50 organisations, including environmental groups, trade unions, neighbourhood associations and political organisations.

The march began shortly after 18:00 on Passeig de Vara de Rey and continued through central Ibiza before reaching Parque Reina Sofía.

A manifesto was read there at around 20:00, setting out the organisers' opposition to the airport project and their concerns about the island's tourism model.

Attendance Figures Differ

There was no single agreed attendance figure for the Ibiza demonstration.

EFE reported an estimate of around 2,500 participants, while the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands put attendance at around 5,000. The organisers estimated between 5,000 and 10,000 people.

Because of the different estimates, the safest description is that thousands of people took part.

Protest Focuses on Airport Plans and Tourism Growth

The organisers argued that the planned airport works could facilitate further growth in visitor numbers and increase pressure on Ibiza's infrastructure and resources.

Their concerns extend beyond the airport itself to housing, mobility, water resources, environmental pressure and the wider tourism model on the island.

These are the positions expressed by the organisations supporting the protest.

What Aena Says It Is Planning

Aena announced the Ibiza Airport remodelling project in June 2026, describing it primarily as an adaptation to new European security and border-control requirements.

The project includes a centralised passport-control system and a separate area for passengers travelling outside the Schengen Area.

The boarding area is planned to be renovated, with the number of boarding gates increasing to 32. Eight new passenger boarding bridges are also planned.

Aena says the additional gates are necessary because Schengen and non-Schengen traffic cannot use them interchangeably at the same level as before.

Aena Says Airfield Capacity Is Not Increasing

Aena has stated that the remodelling does not increase the airport's hourly capacity for aircraft take-offs and landings.

The airport operator says the airfield itself is not being expanded to accommodate more aircraft movements. The additional terminal infrastructure is intended to improve passenger processing and meet operational and regulatory requirements.

Aena also says the proportion of high-season flights that can use boarding bridges could increase from about 25% to around 75%.

DORA III Projects Further Passenger Growth

The protest took place days after the Spanish Government approved DORA III for the 2027-2031 period.

The final document projects 9,173,500 passengers at Ibiza Airport in 2027, rising to 9,718,800 in 2031.

Palma is projected to rise from 34,267,700 passengers in 2027 to 35,665,600 in 2031, while Menorca is projected to increase from 4,283,900 to 4,449,300.

Taken together, the three main Balearic airports are projected to handle almost 50 million passengers in 2031.

These figures are forecasts contained in the regulatory document, rather than a guaranteed passenger total.

Investment Figures Were Revised in the Final DORA

The final DORA III document records €159.62 million in regulated investment for Ibiza over the 2027-2031 period.

The document separately assigns €55.246 million to the adaptation of the terminal building to new regulations.

Earlier figures of around €229.7 million appeared in reporting before the final document was published, but that figure should not be presented as the final regulated investment figure for Ibiza under DORA III.

Protesters Challenge the Development Model

The Ibiza manifesto criticised what organisers described as excessive and unsustainable growth in the island's tourist capacity.

Demonstrators called for greater public involvement in decisions affecting airport infrastructure and tourism and argued that future development should take account of the island's territorial and environmental limits.

The organisers also called for a more livable Ibiza and criticised policies that they believe encourage continued growth in visitor numbers.

Separate Protest Held in Palma

Around 500 people gathered in Palma for a separate demonstration organised by the Platform Against Airport Expansion.

The protest began at the Delegation of the Government in the Balearic Islands and continued towards the Consolat de Mar, headquarters of the Balearic Government.

Participants used the slogan “No more expansion, no more promotion” and called for fewer flights, restrictions on night flights and private aviation, and greater involvement for the Balearic institutions in airport management.

New Routes Also Draw Criticism

In Palma, protesters criticised what they described as a contradiction between efforts to contain tourism pressure and the opening or promotion of new international air routes.

The demonstrators specifically referred to new connections involving Abu Dhabi and Canada.

These criticisms reflect the position of the protest organisers rather than an official finding that the policies are contradictory.

The Wider Airport Debate

The two demonstrations came as the Balearic Islands debate how much future airport traffic and infrastructure the islands can accommodate.

The final DORA III document sets out investment and traffic forecasts for the main airports while Aena maintains that its Ibiza terminal project is primarily a modernisation and regulatory adaptation.

Opponents of the projects argue that improvements to airport infrastructure could facilitate higher tourism volumes even where aircraft movement capacity is not directly increased.

Political Support in the Demonstrations

Representatives from several political parties attended the protests in Ibiza and Palma.

Their participation reflects political support for the positions expressed by the respective demonstrations, but does not establish a common policy position across all parties or organisations involved.

The issue remains part of a wider political debate over tourism management, airport governance and the future development of the Balearic Islands.

A Continuing Debate for Ibiza

The September 20 demonstration showed the scale of public attention surrounding the future of Ibiza Airport.

Thousands of people joined the Ibiza march according to the various estimates reported, while hundreds demonstrated in Palma on the same day.

The debate now centres on how the planned infrastructure, European regulatory requirements and the traffic forecasts contained in DORA III will affect Ibiza's airport and the island as a whole.