• A group of activists drew a red line in a symbolic action at Terminal 1 of Barcelona El Prat Airport to show their rejection of the proposed expansion of this and other airports.
• The international conference of the Stay Grounded network, ‘Beyond aviation, tourism and capitalism’, held in Barcelona, demonstrated international support for the fight against the expansion proposal.

On 6th July 2025 a group of people of various nationalities gathered in the arrivals area of Terminal 1 of Barcelona-El Prat Airport to publicly express their outright rejection of the airport expansion proposal recently announced by President Illa.

The rally, organised by the Zeroport platform, marked the end of the Stay Grounded international conference ‘Beyond aviation, tourism and capitalism’, which took place in Barcelona from 3 to 6 July.

A week after the Zeroport platform mobilised more than a thousand people in Sant Jaume Square, Barcelona to voice their united cry of ‘NO TO THE EXPANSION’, opposition to this project was once again demonstrated, this time with significant international support.

The protest consisted of a sit-in by a group of activists, some dressed in red bibs to show that, for them and a large part of society, airport expansion is a red line that governments should never cross. At the end, the activists flew paper aeroplanes bearing the various reasons why the expansion is unacceptable and the disastrous impact it would have on the climate, social inequality, and public health.

The Zeroport platform warns that the protests will continue and intensify in the coming months, so that the power of the people once again becomes a real barrier against the expansion proposal, as happened in 2021.

Hannah Lawrence, Stay Grounded spokesperson, said: “Expanding an airport like El Prat in the middle of a climate crisis is like lighting a match in a forest that is already on fire. We all want a safe future and airport expansions completely jeapordise that. We need governments to set red lines for airport expansions and commit to an immediate end to expansion projects like El Prat.”

A Zeroport spokesperson said: “More communication, pressure and social mobilisation actions are planned, as well as political and legal actions to stop a project that would increase pollution, exacerbate the environmental crisis and global warming, would mean the arrival of more tourists and more housing and gentrification problems in the metropolitan area, would eliminate agricultural land, which is so necessary to feed the country, and would exacerbate the environmental deterioration of the Llobregat Delta.”

The recently concluded Stay Grounded conference has highlighted international support for the fight against the expansion of Barcelona-El Prat airport, which is already taking shape with a call for international solidarity and will continue with coordinated actions in the future.

PRESS CONTACTS:

• Hannah Lawrence, [email protected], (+43) 0670 550 09 34
• Ariadna Cotén, 650 755 908
• Claudia Custodio, 648 840 456

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

• High quality photos and video available here: https://mega.nz/folder/OSwkTISJ#fkFDlsNkNVf0NoYY-2K6ow
• Stay Grounded is a network of over 200 member initiatives around the world, including community groups surrounding airports, NGOs, and trade unions. The network campaigns for a fair reduction of aviation and for a just mobility system that works for all, now and in the future.
• Our recruiting, training, and capacity building is supported by the Climate Emergency Fund, which strategically supports ultra-ambitious organizations demanding solutions to the climate crisis at emergency speed.