Aena Awards €19.6 Million Contract to Renew Granada-Jaén Airport Runway

Aena has awarded a €19.56 million contract to renew the runway at Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport in Spain. The project will be carried out by a joint venture comprising Matías Arrom Bibiloni (MAB) and Sampol, with completion expected to take approximately 20 months.

The runway renewal is part of routine airport infrastructure maintenance to address the wear caused by aircraft movements. The complex engineering project has been carefully planned due to the critical importance of maintaining operational safety throughout the works.

The programme includes removing the existing runway pavement and laying a new surface across the runway and its shoulders, increasing the pavement thickness by 2.5 centimetres. The surfaces of the taxiways, which connect the runway to aircraft parking stands, will also be renewed to improve their condition and structural capacity.

The most significant work will take place at the runway thresholds, where the existing rigid pavement will be demolished and reconstructed using flexible pavement.

Additional works will include levelling the runway strip, creating a new air taxiway for helicopters and applying hydroseeding to areas around critical radio navigation aids. This vegetation technique will help stabilise the soil and protect it against erosion.

The project will also replace the airfield ground lighting system throughout the aircraft movement area, including the runway, taxiways, parking apron and approach lighting. New duct banks, primary and secondary cabling, lights, signs and regulators will be installed, alongside LED technology to improve energy efficiency.

Works phased to maintain operational safety

The project will be delivered in several phases, with the dual objectives of ensuring operational safety and minimising disruption to the airport’s normal activities.

Most of the work will take place at night, while the airport is closed to air traffic between 23:15 and 06:30. However, activities in particularly critical areas — including the runway thresholds, transition zone and sections of the taxiways — will require the airport to close to air traffic for 21 days.

Subject to the progress of the works, the closure is provisionally scheduled to begin at 23:15 on 5 May 2027, with the airport expected to reopen at 06:30 on 27 May 2027.

During this period, flights may operate from Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport as an alternative to Granada-Jaén. Airlines and other airport operators have been informed in advance so they can reschedule flights and reorganise their operations.

Work will continue around the clock throughout the three-week closure. This intensive schedule is intended to ensure that, when the airport reopens, any remaining activities can be completed during overnight closures without affecting the normal flight programme.

Further information is available in Aena’s official announcement.