- Terminales Canarios, SLCA and Exolum have launched an initiative aimed at strengthening the institutional representation of an essential activity that ensures air connectivity, security of supply and the operation of strategic sectors of the Spanish economy.
- The association has already received approval from the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy following the registration’s acceptance by the General Directorate of Labour.
- The Canary Islands, where the founding operators maintain a strong presence and whose economic development relies heavily on air transport, will play a strategic role in the
association’s activities.
Madrid, July 15, 2026. The leading companies involved in aviation fuel storage and into-plane services have promoted the creation of the Spanish Association of Into Plane and Airport Fuel Storage Operators (Asociación Española de Operadores de Puesta a Bordo y Almacenamiento de Combustible en Instalaciones Aeroportuarias), the first organisation of its kind in Spain. The initiative responds to the need for a common voice to address the regulatory, technological and environmental challenges facing the sector.
Promoted by Terminales Canarios, Servicios Logísticos de Combustibles de Aviación (SLCA) and Exolum, the association has been established to represent the interests of an essential activity that helps ensure the operational continuity of air transport, the safety of airport operations, territorial connectivity and the sustainable evolution of the aviation sector.
The association’s registration has already been formally accepted by the General Directorate of Labour, part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, through a resolution published in Spain’s Official State Gazette (BOE) on 25 May. This represents an important step forward for a sector that plays a critical role in the air transport value chain and, by extension, supports other industries of major strategic importance to the Spanish economy, particularly tourism.
“The association has been created to strengthen collaboration among industry operators and to serve as a representative body before public administrations, regulatory authorities and airport operators. We want to contribute to the development of a sector that is increasingly safe, efficient and sustainable, promoting operational best practices while supporting the challenges associated with aviation’s energy transition,” said Iván Saco Muiño, President of the association and Exolum’s VP Commercial Airport.
A Critical Role for Transport and Tourism
Strategic sectors of the Spanish economy, including transport and tourism, depend heavily on airport fuel operations, as fuel storage, distribution and into-plane services are essential to their day-to-day functioning. For this reason, the founding members consider the activity to be of strategic importance.
According to Ángel Marín, General Manager of SLCA, “airport fuel operators provide capabilities across the entire value chain, from storage and distribution to into-plane services, making them an essential link in the efficient operation of airports and, consequently, of the air transport system as a whole.”
In addition to ensuring the daily operation of airports, the sector faces major challenges related to the decarbonisation of aviation, the progressive incorporation of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), evolving regulatory requirements and the ongoing need to strengthen operational safety and efficiency.
The Canary Islands: A Strategic Hub
The Canary Islands will be one of the association’s key areas of focus due to the longstanding presence of the founding operators and the strategic importance of air transport for the connectivity and economic development of the archipelago.
“The outermost region status of the Canary Islands makes aviation fuel supply a critical service for maintaining connectivity with mainland Spain, Europe and the main tourism source markets,” explained Juan Luis Santana, General Manager of Terminales Canarios. “This activity also contributes to the development of specialised expertise, the creation of skilled employment, the attraction of investment and the strengthening of the Canary Islands’ position as a strategic hub for international air traffic.”
In this context, the launch of the association will help channel the experience of companies with a deep-rooted presence in the archipelago and promote coordinated solutions to address challenges associated with growing air traffic, the deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the decarbonisation of air transport, regulatory developments and security of supply in territories that are particularly dependent on air connectivity.
