The Foronda Airport in Vitoria-Gasteiz will open its doors on Thursday, July 2nd, at 8:30 PM. This will be the initiative's sole nighttime opportunity to photograph departing or arriving aircraft at the Alava capital's airport. This year, the event has been moved to the summer for the first time, aiming for better weather conditions for image capture.
The event will also take place on Friday, July 3rd, at San Sebastián-Hondarribia Airport in the afternoon, and on Saturday, July 4th, at Loiu-Bilbao Airport in the morning. The Vitoria-Gasteiz event has 15 spots, San Sebastián has 10, and Bilbao has 35. Registration for the Alava airport closed on June 12th with full capacity.
“"Most participants are enthusiasts, especially many young people who are passionate about photography"
Samuel Muñoz Fernández, director of Basque Spotting, explains that most participants are enthusiasts, with a significant number of young people passionate about photography and aviation. The event allows interested individuals to capture various aircraft from a close perspective, always adhering to established safety measures such as precautionary distances and the use of reflective vests.
Each attendee will use their own professional camera to photograph different types of aircraft. Muñoz describes the activity as "a way to combine two passions, aviation and photography," noting that many participants are avid aviation fans with extensive photo collections.
Aircraft regularly operating at Foronda typically transport commercial cargo, although the Alava terminal is seeing an increase in passenger traffic. Airlines such as Ryanair, Binter Canarias, and recently Volotea offer tourist flights to national destinations including Menorca, Málaga, or Barcelona, and international destinations like Brussels or Milan.
According to Muñoz, aircraft that can be photographed at Foronda include the A300, the A321 freighter, DHL's 757, and some 777s. Ryanair flights also allow for photographing the 737-800 and its 'MAX' version. "Foronda Airport continues to be a benchmark for cargo aircraft," Muñoz confirms.
