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Monthly Archives: December 2013

Air Nostrum changes liveries in line with Iberia Standard

AirNostrum web site screenshot

The Iberia’s franchised airline for regional flights has presented their new livery today. The new image is included in the Iberia Group’s renewal strategy. The Air Nostrum’s fleet will go updating the brand gradually, in order to save costs. Hence the same agenda for painting aircrafts is to be kept.   Source: Expansion.com

Low Cost airlines lost market in November 2013 Standard

Ryanair flight-Low Cost airlines lost market

According to hosteltur , if we compare November 2012 and 2013, Low Cost airlines lost market for first time to a total international arrivals of 48.6% versus traditional airlines which hold 51.4% of international arrivals in November. Despite a 7.7% international traffic increase scenario, low cost airlines lost market . November Low Cost airlines factor is a 72.9% while traditional airlines have a load factor of 71.3% which indicates a reduction in the gap among the two groups of airlines which usually is over 3 points.The Touristic Studies Institute highlights for November that Low Cost airlines lost market in Madrid by 18% and the increase in…

Nordic tourism strong increase leads Alicante to an all-time high Standard

Works in the Alicante airport's terminal in 2010 by Dr Rdl/Wikimedia Commons

The strong increase of the Nordic tourism since the start of the year has put Alicante-Elche over the historical record of foreign customers achieved in 2011. Up to November there were 600,000 more international tourists thanks to the Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finland passenger upturn. The Russian traveller increase has been notable also. Thus, Alicante has been about to overcome Gran Canaria as the fifth Spanish airport.According to the Aena airport statistics for November, Alicante has increased passengers by 14%. This is the fourth highest increase after Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Tenerife.The amount of users in Alicante at the end of the year…

Vitoria airport to accept flights during the day Standard

Antonov An-225 airplane at Vitoria airport, Vitoria Gasteiz Foronda, by Irekia - Gobierno Vasco / Wikimedia Commons

Vitoria airport: Vitoria airport  employees and Aena reached an agreement to accept flights during the day, upon request, out of the current night-time working hours.Vitoria airport reduced working hours in August 2012 from H24 to 20:30-08:30 LT as a consequence of the Aena´s cost saving plan.Since then there have been several protests, although talks about this subject remained active until an agreement has been found.This agreement will come into effect within two months for passenger flights, but is valid for cargo flights since the agreement was signed.Photo: Irekia / Gobierno Vasco – Wikimedia Commons Source: Finanzas.com

Vueling to keep an eye on the American destinations Standard

Vueling A320 EC-HHA in Valencia airport by Rob Wilson / Shutterstock.com

Vueling keep an eye on the American destinations: Vueling’s chairmain Alex Cruz said they are expecting to sign a code share agreement with Qatar Airways in 2014.This will be the first agreement they sign with a non IAG airline. Currently they are already feeding passengers for Iberia and British Airways, and the Qatar’s entry into oneworld has made it easier.However, Cruz said they keep an eye on the merger of US Airways and American Airlines and the opportunities that this will bring to Barcelona airport. This merger creates a hub for them with four American destinations: New York, Philadelphia, Miami and Charlotte. “Barcelona might keep gaining new destinations like Chicago or…

Madrid, first Autonomous Region with an Airport Coordination Committee Standard

Air Europa connected to finger

The first Airport Coordination Committee has been established in the Madrid Autonomous Region, but each Region is expected to go creating its own committee within the forthcoming months.These Airport coordination committees intend to offer a way of participation in the airport management to the public authorities. According to the Royal Decree-law 20/2012 the tasks of these committees are: Ensure an appropriate airport service quality, suggesting the actions which may be considered necessary to boost the airport activity. Cooperate with Aena Aeropuertos and the correspondent authorities in the definition of the strategies regarding the airports of that Autonomous Region. Especially with regard to the commercial…

Airlines operating in Spain fear a new “green tax” Standard

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Catalonia will pioneer the initiative of imposing a new tax on the CO2 emissions. This green tax has been included in the Regional Budgets for 2014, and according to the Catalan Government estimates, it will bring revenue of 3.6 million Euros in the next year.This is not the first time that the Government of Catalonia tries this and, in fact, other countries in Europe like Germany, France and UK have similar “green” charges, where the airline industry is taxed for its environmental impact.The news has alarmed airlines associations (Aceta, ALA and Aeca). They consider that this initiative may produce a…

Aena’s press release on Handling Tender Standard

Groundforce equipment in Madrid airport by José Masot

As anticipated in this blog Aena published the terms and conditions for the Handling Tender and launched a press release which translation follows: Aena has started the first phase for the public ramp handling tender for third parties in 22 airports. The licenses awarded shall be in force for seven years. This first phase includes all airports with less than one million passengers per year. They will have one only handling agent. Thus, Aena continues with the handling license renewal which begun last spring when a consultation process started through which airlines and all concerned parties where invited to participate in the handling tender…

Sacyr and the Government of Murcia resume talks on Corvera Standard

Murcia-San Javier by Phillip Capper / Wikimedia Commons

The Government of Murcia had reached an agreement with Aena to transfer all flights from San Javier to Región de Murcia Intl Airport (Corvera) and hence, the only thing left was the agreement between the Government and Sacyr.Both parties would have now decided to resume talks on Corvera Airport in order to find a solution and avoid courts, which would endlessly delay the opening of the airport.Ten days ago the Government of Murcia kept saying that a new tender would be opened for Corvera. Now, they might be considering giving the concession back to Sacyr through its subsidiary Aeromur.Aeromur’s proposal would be that the Government of…

The Government to create a regulatory framework for the Aena privatisation Standard

Ana Pastor in Nov 2007 by Partido Popular de Cataluña / Wikimedia Commons

The minister of Fomento, Ana Pastor, announced they are working on a regulatory framework for the Aena privatisation which guarantees the public interest of the Spanish airport net before its privatisation. This regulatory framework should have been developed by the end of the current year.However she said that the privatisation will start “only when the Government is ready and the appropriate market conditions are detected”.Pastor explained that the new regulatory framework “will set the maximum quality and service levels, as well as schemes for revenues and investments”. Also, the maximum charges would be regulated, considering that a big concern of…