The Madrid-Barcelona AVE high-speed rail link has, as anticipated, had a reasonably significant effect on air traffic between the two cities.
According to the airport authority AENA, airlines have experienced a 14.2% drop in passenger numbers during the first six months of this year, coinciding with the introduction of the AVE high-speed rail link.
Figures for the first six months of the year show that airline traffic has increased for Madrid (+2%), Gran Canaria (+5.8%), Valencia (+2.8%), Alicante (+7.3%), Sevilla (+7.3%), Tenerife Norte (+4.3%), Tenerife Sur (+0.9%) and Bilbao (+3.7%).
Decreases have occurred in Barcelona (-5%), Málaga (-4.6%) and Palma de Mallorca (-1.2%).