Costa Del Sol firm reports Aena to Spain’s watchdog for suspending 90 per cent contract during lockdown

MALAGA-based cleaning firm Optima Facility has reported airport operator Aena to Spain’s employment watchdog for suspending 90 per cent of its contracted services. It claims that only eight cleaners are now doing the work that should be done by at least 30. They also believe that Aena has broken the State of Law regulations by suspending “essential services” like cleaning.

According to the cleaning company, certain parts of the airport – such as Terminal 2, the security centre, technical centre, arrivals – are still open. “These areas require at least a minimum of 30 cleaners to carry out all the necessary cleaning activities to standard, and not just eight,” it maintains. Optima Facility has therefore reported the matter to the government employment watchdog, Inspeccion de Trabajo, for investigation.

According to Aena sources, all services have been adjusted according to traffic, however, once activity starts again, “we can increase services according to the demand.”

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, Aena says it has reinforced cleaning and sanitising, and disinfected areas where confirmed cases of coronavirus have been detected. The Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) has also been deployed to support disinfection work at the airport.