El Prat Airport. Photo: joserpizarro / Shutterstock.com Barcelona-El Prat Airport has warned travelers that acoustic alarms may be heard during an evacuation drill involving the railway tunnel and new commuter stations serving the airport.
Spanish airport operator Aena issued the notice on social media, explaining that the sounds are part of a planned exercise conducted by Adif, Spain’s railway infrastructure manager. The drill is intended to test evacuation procedures for the tunnel and the new commuter rail stations at the airport.
Aena manages 46 airports and two heliports in Spain, as well as 31 airports in America and three in the United Kingdom. The company also provides services related to airport parking, shopping and dining.
Adif manages approximately 15,000 kilometers of railway infrastructure, with around 5,500 trains operating across its network each day and 1,500 stations. Its responsibilities include railway infrastructure and station management, making it central to the operation and safety of Spain’s rail network.
The exercise at Barcelona-El Prat is designed to prepare for evacuation scenarios at the new airport rail facilities. Aena’s notice advises the public not to be alarmed if they hear the acoustic warnings during the drill.
Travelers using Barcelona-El Prat should distinguish the planned alarms from an actual emergency and follow any instructions issued by airport or railway staff.