- Every time major sporting events take place, beyond the “economic impact” or “city location” that the authorities are precipitating, it is common to talk about the fierce price of accommodation, its impact on public transport and/or safety issues. It is common and even allows the citizen to accept collateral damage, at least in part. Accept or allow some schools to close their doors or cancel their extracurricular activities. Within the framework of this "normality", however, we are struck by a fact about the return of the football Europa League final that Bilbao will receive tomorrow: 174 private jets will travel to and from Loiu airport.
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The final will be played by two English teams (21:00), Manchester United and Tottenham, each of which is expected to gather more than 20,000 fans, more than 40,000 people. And, of course, this will completely disrupt airport traffic. The total number of arrivals and departures is around 400, especially in Loiu, but also in Foronda, Hondarribia and Santander (State of Spain). Bilbao Airport will accommodate more than 300 transfers; a little less than half will be commercial flights and the rest (174 flights) will be private. "Loiu will receive the largest private jet parade in its history", we read in El Correo, which highlights that around the turn of the industrial summit in 2021 there were 56 private flights. Apart from the fact that these flights can cost up to 3,000 euros – for some it is confirmed that football is an extremely profitable business – there are also those who have warned about the impact of organizing 400 flights in the midst of a climate emergency.
Otherwise, as I said, even though the finals are amazing, the numbers don’t surprise. Accommodation in Bilbao and nearby cities with a neck, shelters that require 850 euros per person for sleeping in a bunk bed, shelters that are willing to pay 2,500 euros for staying in a hotel, homes that are rented for 9,000 euros, 60,000 liters of beer that will be sold in the so-called fan zones of Amezola and Etxebarria Park, 24 waste collection vehicles, dozens of local police and border guards... The figures show us the dimension that football has acquired.