Prou Ibiza has announced its support for the demonstration being organised by the Associació de Joves d’Eivissa (AJE) against the planned remodelling and expansion of Ibiza Airport.

The demonstration will take place on Sunday, September 20, beginning at 6pm at s’Alamera on Passeig de Vara de Rey in Ibiza Town. The march will pass through Carrer Aragó, Carrer Balears and Avenida de España before stopping outside the Consell d’Eivissa, where organisers will read a protest manifesto, before returning to the starting point.

Prou Calls for Wider Public Participation

Prou Ibiza has called on residents across the island to join the mobilisation, saying Ibiza has already experienced significant pressure during the 2026 summer season.

In its statement, the platform referred to overcrowding, pressure on public infrastructure, population growth, water-supply tensions and the deterioration of the natural environment. These are the organisation’s assessments of the current situation rather than independent findings contained in the announcement.

Prou also argues that continued investment in major infrastructure is difficult to reconcile with attempts to contain mass tourism and has called for what it describes as measures of tourism restraint and a move towards a more balanced model.

AJE Organises the Demonstration

The demonstration was originally called by the Associació de Joves d’Eivissa, which has positioned the protest around concerns over the future impact of the airport project on Ibiza's territory and public services.

The youth organisation has criticised plans to increase the number of boarding gates, enlarge the VIP area and create a dedicated zone for passengers travelling outside the Schengen area. It argues that these changes could increase pressure on the island's healthcare, transport and water resources.

The association has also called for broader participation from residents, stressing the close relationship between Ibiza and Formentera and the potential island-wide implications of changes to the airport.

What Aena Is Planning

Aena officially describes the project as a remodelling of Ibiza Airport aimed in part at adapting the terminal to new European border-control requirements and improving operational processes.

The plans include a new pier dedicated to non-Schengen passengers, a centralised passport-control area, upgraded security equipment, a dedicated area for inter-island flights and eight new boarding bridges. The number of boarding gates is expected to increase from the current 17 to 32.

Aena has specifically stated that a larger number of gates is required even with the same level of traffic because Schengen and non-Schengen gates can no longer be used flexibly for both types of passengers.

The project also includes a larger VIP lounge, additional passenger facilities and changes to other parts of the terminal.

The Question of Future Passenger Growth

The airport project has become controversial because opponents argue that expanding the terminal could facilitate further tourism growth.

Aena, however, has presented the additional boarding gates primarily in the context of separating Schengen and non-Schengen operations and meeting new regulatory requirements. The company has also described the wider project as an improvement to safety, efficiency and passenger services.

The disagreement therefore centres partly on how the new infrastructure could affect Ibiza's future capacity and tourism model, rather than simply on the technical changes being made inside the terminal.

DORA III Has Now Been Approved

The demonstration comes immediately after the Spanish Government approved the Third Airport Regulatory Document, DORA III, on September 15.

The five-year framework covers the 2027-2031 period and establishes the investment, tariff, capacity and quality parameters governing Aena's Spanish airport network. Aena has confirmed that the document was approved by the Council of Ministers on September 15.

The Ibiza airport remodelling is part of this wider investment framework.

Environmental Concerns Also Form Part of the Protest

Prou has additionally referred to recent complaints concerning alleged wastewater discharges linked to the airport and the possible impact on the nearby Ses Salines Natural Park.

Those concerns are the subject of an ongoing administrative process. Aena has also recently awarded a contract for an audit and intervention involving the airport's hydraulic networks following the complaints. The existence of the investigation and audit does not, by itself, establish responsibility for the alleged discharges.

The airport is located close to the Ses Salines protected area, which gives environmental concerns particular prominence in the wider debate.

Growing Opposition to the Project

Prou's decision to join the demonstration adds another established island organisation to a mobilisation that has already attracted support from social, environmental and neighbourhood groups.

The original AJE call was backed by organisations including the Institut d'Estudis Eivissencs, Amics de la Terra, Salvem sa Badia, GEN-GOB and neighbourhood associations from areas around the airport.

Esquerra Unida has also expressed support for the September 20 demonstration, while Pimeef has said it will not participate institutionally but has encouraged individual members to attend if they wish.

Demonstration Details

The protest against the airport project will take place on Sunday, September 20, 2026, starting at 6pm at s’Alamera, Passeig de Vara de Rey.

The planned route will take demonstrators through Aragó, Balears and Avenida de España before reaching the Consell d’Eivissa for the reading of the manifesto and then returning to the starting point.

For Prou Ibiza and the other organisations supporting the mobilisation, the demonstration is intended to place questions about airport development, tourism pressure, public services, water resources and environmental protection at the centre of the island's public debate.