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Monthly Archives: July 2014

Gran Canaria airport works: finished the second phase Standard

Vehicles parked in front of a Gran Canaria airport’s entrance / Flickr - Håkan Dahlström

In September we informed that the first phase of the Gran Canaria airport works had been concluded. Last week Aena published another press release: The second phase is now finished too. The third and last phase is left.This way, the improved terminal started working on July 15th. It has 42,000 more square meters. On the first floor a new check-in area has been built. This new area has 18 counters which could increase up to 34 in the future. Also, there is a new security control zone with two double filters, a boarding lounge and shops. The intermediate floor has another boarding lounge, mainly…

Corvera loan approved from Brussels subject to San Javier closure Standard

Murcia San Javier airport entrance with the Aena’s logo / Flickr - elyob

Murcia announced their intention to start operations this year with the new airport provided that they managed to have the Corvera loan confirmed by Brussels for about 180 million Euros.Then, Manuel Campos—Councillor for Public Works of the Murcia’s Government—said Corvera and San Javier airports would coexist until 2016. Then Aena would close San Javier to Commercial flights. All subject to the above mentioned Corvera loan.Yesterday, MurciaEconomía informed that the European Commission answered to the Autonomous Community. They will let Murcia go into debt to face that 180 million Euros bank guarantee that had been granted to Aeromur in the past. In exchange, Brussels requested one only…

Fuel licenses out to tender in the Spanish airports Standard

Shell Petrol Tanker at airport / Flickr-Carlos Manuel Reyes Santos

Aena is putting 37 fuel licenses out to tender for 39 airports of the net. These fuel licenses are expected to last for seven years. A previous consultation process is being started with airlines.Thus, Aena is starting to renew the fuel licenses through a workshop which is open to the airport user committee in which airlines are integrated. This is intended for them to participate in the definition of the tender terms and conditions.The consultation process is expected to last for two months. With its conclusions, Aena will define and publish the terms and conditions.A two-phased tenderIn the first phase…

Canary Islands new routes tendered by the Region Standard

Tenerife South airport terminal / Flickr - rromer

In March 2013, the president of the Autonomous Region announced a Flight Development Fund would be created to boost Canary Islands new routes. EuropaPress published the information when this blog did not exist yet.This morning, Preferente.com informs that the first six Canary Islands new routes have been put out for tender. Therefore, airlines can place bids to cover these destinations: Tenerife – New York. Gran Canaria – Rome. La Gomera – London. La Palma – Leipzig. Lanzarote – Lyon. Fuerteventura – Paris. In the forthcoming months the government of the Region is expected to put out for tender other Canary Islands new routes.Ricardo Fernández…

ENAIRE: Catalá replaces Vargas Standard

Barcelona airport ATC tower / Victor

Last Tuesday, the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) published the José Manuel Vargas cessation as chairman of the public company ENAIRE.The Royal Decree published in BOE on the 5th of July considered, with Article 18, two name changes: On the one hand, the change from Aena Aeropuertos, S.A. to Aena, S.A. This is the airport owner, the part of Aena which is being privatised. On the other hand, Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea – AENA – becomes ENAIRE.As we had already explained, the part of Aena which used to be responsible for air navigation is, therefore, from now on ENAIRE. It will continue to be a public company…

DORA approved through a Royal Decree Standard

Aena’s electric cars at Madrid airport / Flickr-Ministerio de Fomento

Last Saturday, the expected Royal Decree was published in the Spanish official gazette (BOE). In a 172-page document with different changes to the regulations currently in force, the Aena privatisation and tariff freeze has been confirmed. At the same time, the Document for Airport Regulation – DORA – has been defined. Several Spanish media inform about some of the changes specified in this Royal Decree. Above all, they deal with the tariff freeze and the fact that the Government will keep 51% of the company. Javier Gándara about the new regulation It is noteworthy the article by Javier Gándara—General Director for easyJet—in an op-ed piece at CincoDías….

Aena tariff freeze until 2025 Standard

Madrid airport Terminal 4

Aena tariff freeze: The ministry of Development—Fomento—is ready for the Aena tariff freeze in the Spanish airports until 2025.The Royal Decree draft of the Document for Airport Regulation (DORA) takes into consideration the Aena tariff freeze until 2025. This is expected just after the confirmation of the privatisation by 49% of Aena Aeropuertos.The target is to bring more traffic to the Spanish airports. Hence, the Aena tariff freeze will be subject to conditions such as “possible regulatory changes or unforeseen occurrences”.Thus, the draft fixes the Aena tariff freeze until 2025 provided that the investments in the net are not over 450 million Euros…

Aena Privatisation: Competition disagrees, Ryanair interested Standard

Ryanair and Iberia in competition

As soon as the Aena privatisation was definitely confirmed by the Minister many thoughts, interpretations and declarations have appeared in the Spanish media. Since this is something that we have been following very closely, we have extracted some pieces of news which may be relevant to the subject.The National Competition Commission disagreesFirst of all, ElMundo.es published a thorough article informing that the Spanish Competition Commission is not happy with the privatisation as it has been planned by the Government. In their view, it will not benefit the industry to keep the airport net monopoly. For Competition it would be better to separate Aena in…