Aena has initiated the process of renewing leases for self-drive vehicle rental services at airports within its network, with the new agreements set to take effect in November 2024. The Director General for Commercial and Real Estate at Aena, María José Cuenda, revealed key details of this tendering process during the Perspective Forum, part of the 2023 Global Mobility Call.
In the early part of the next year, a call for tenders will be issued to secure car rental services at 38 airports, offering more than 21,700 parking spaces (an increase of 3,500 spaces compared to the previous arrangement). Additionally, the number of available licenses will rise to 218 (an increase of 48 from the current number), and there is consideration for the establishment of two new maintenance centers at Palma de Mallorca and Málaga-Costa del Sol airports.
Aena currently holds contracts with 16 operators across 34 airports in its network, and these agreements are set to expire on October 31, 2024. The new contracts will span between 5 to 8 years in duration.
This marks one of the world’s most extensive procurement processes for self-drive vehicle rental services, a sector with an estimated turnover of 10 billion euros over the lifespan of the new contracts.
Each year, Aena’s network airports in Spain witness the rental of 4.6 million self-drive vehicles. This business segment stands as Aena’s third-largest in terms of commercial revenue, contributing around 1.2 billion euros in annual sales for the operators.
The new tendering process proposes a more adaptable model that eliminates predefined lots of spaces, allowing companies to select the number of spaces they require, with rents tailored to different operator profiles. Furthermore, the contracts encompass the expansion of self-drive vehicle rental services into corporate aviation terminals at major airports, including Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, and Málaga-Costa del Sol.
Aena’s objective is to maximize the value of this business segment and attract a wide range of operators to enhance the quality of service for passengers. To achieve this, the company is committed to digitalizing the service and implementing cutting-edge technologies in the industry.
