Aena raises quarterly profit by 9% and settles pandemic-related disputes with retail operators

The airport operator also took advantage of its results presentation to announce the formalization of agreements with commercial operators to settle the legal proceedings initiated during the pandemic.

The agreements stem from the Supreme Court ruling (Ruling No. 275/2025, of 19 February, Civil Chamber), which declares the civil route inadmissible and redirects the resolution of these disputes to the contentious-administrative jurisdiction.

This ruling recognized the public and concessional nature of the contracts and, consequently, places the analysis of economic-financial rebalancing within the proper scope of public procurement.

The redirection of these disputes to the contentious-administrative jurisdiction and their settlement through agreements reinforce the need for clear, predictable and legally sound rebalancing mechanisms in concession contracts.

In this context, the ongoing review of the European public procurement framework represents an opportunity to strengthen these instruments, providing contracts with greater flexibility and legal certainty in extraordinary scenarios.

The experience drawn from Covid shows that contract design must incorporate effective solutions to preserve economic-financial balance, thereby avoiding prolonged litigation and ensuring the long-term sustainability of infrastructure and public services.