11,105 Passport seats equip the most profitable airport in Spain
Due to its mild climate and famous crystal-clear waters, the island of Mallorca is considered a great tourist destination. The Mallorca Airport, its entry point by air, is the most profitable in Spain and is the third most heavily trafficked behind Madrid and Barcelona, with 25 million passengers a year. During high season, it can see 112,000 passengers pass through its facilities each day, with transit points that exceed those of any other airport in Spain.
With the goal of modernising its facilities and providing its users with greater comfort and well-being, AENA has expanded and renovated all of its seating with the installation of 2,600 Passport benches, designed by ITEMDesignwork and manufactured by Actiu. A total of 11,105 seats that are distributed among the Land Zone, located before check-in, and in the Air Zone, beyond the Security Control.
The selected model is the Passport bench, which combines robustness, contemporary aesthetics, convenience and easy maintenance. It also provides comfort thanks to its ergonomic design. The shape of the seat surface and its backrest adapt to the human body, guaranteeing a comfortable and healthy posture. A design that also offers a specific model for people with reduced mobility that has also been installed at the airport.
With respect to the finishes of the benches, two models have been installed depending on the space where they are located. “In the Land Zone of the airport, 400 benches with 4 seats have been placed, each one with armrests in the middle that allow passengers to rest when waiting to board their flight. These benches have been made with black polyurethane seats and perforated steel backrests that provide breathability”, explains Joaquín Berbegal, CEO of Actiu.
“Inside the Air Zone, there have been more than 1,300 benches placed with 4 seats, and 900 benches with 5 seats which, unlike those installed in the Land Zone, are all made of black polyurethane and have armrests at the lateral ends, but not in the middle, which makes it easier for users to lie down in the event of flight delays, thus providing a comfortable solution focused on people’s well-being”, explains Berbegal.
As all of the benches are manufactured with the highest Polyurethane (PUR) quality standards, they feature an internal 2 mm-thick steel structure, which provides them with impressive strength as well comfort during use, in addition to fireproof properties, resistance to ultraviolet radiation, stain proof and anti-static, preventing the adhesion of particles in suspension and facilitating their cleaning at all times.
“Passenger traffic at the Son Sant Joan Airport fluctuates greatly depending on the season. Aena needed a modular system that would allow for different configurations according to their needs, guaranteeing flexibility in the management of spaces and ensuring a smooth flow of passengers”, says Berbegal.
With projects of this magnitude, it is mandatory to strictly comply with international quality standards such as the UNE-EN ISO 14006 Certificate of the Ecodesign Management System, as well as to meet a series of technical specifications that Actiu has followed. In short, Aena needed high-quality, robust materials that were characterised by ergonomics and comfort, that could be installed in a short period of time and that guaranteed the well-being of the millions of people who travel through the island of Palma de Majorca.