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Author Archives: Jorge Masot

Iberia Handling unions call a strike in Ibiza Standard

Aircraft at the Ibiza airport's platform by Jordi Sanchez Teruel - Flickr

Iberia Handling unions have called a strike in Ibiza to be held on July 30 and 31 and on August 4 and 8. Walkouts have been programmed from 12:00 to 14:00 and from 2100 to 23:00 local time. Diario de Ibiza reports today that the strike might become indefinite if an agreement is not reached during the meeting that has been scheduled today in Madrid. Also, workers have scheduled an assembly for this Thursday July 28 to deal with all the news that may have arisen during the last days. The main demand of the unions is that the current collective bargaining agreement…

Air Europa Express: Globalia’s low cost airline expected for March 2016 Standard

Air Europa's Embraer 195LR with the new livery by Martin J. Gallego - Flickr

Aeronova is a small Spanish airline based in Valencia that was acquired by Globalia – Air Europa’s owner – at the beginning of this month. This was reported by LasProvincias on November, 8. On Tuesday, Preferente.com announced that Globalia will now convert this airline into Air Europa Express in order to operate their regional flights. The information was relayed by Álvaro Middelmann, former Air Berlin director for Spain and now consultant for Air Europa. The airline is expected to start operations around March 2016. Its home bases will be Madrid and Palma. Despite being a part of Globalia, the new airline will be independent from Air Europa….

Air Berlin to close Palma hub in the first quarter of 2016 Standard

Air Berlin 737-700 in Palma de Mallorca by Colin Cooke Photo - Flickr

Last Tuesday, Air Berlin’s board approved the cancellation of the whole domestic flight network that they operate in Spain. This means all connections between Palma and other Spanish destination will no longer operate. Hence, the German airline will close their hub between Spain and Europe. The information was revealed by ElMundo on Friday. According to their sources the first destinations where the airline is to stop operating will be Ibiza, Alicante, Seville and Valencia. These routes will have been cancelled by the end of January 2016. The remainder of routes, i.e. Málaga, Jerez, Bilbao and Faro (Portugal), will be cancelled at the end…

Construction of a new terminal for Tenerife South approved by the government Standard

Ryanair arriving in Tenerife South by Carlos Lopez Echeto Marrero

This Wednesday, the minister of development (Fomento) announced that Aena will invest over 120 million Euros in building a new terminal for Tenerife South airport. She has pointed out that this investment will be considered in the Document for Airport Regulation (DORA). This is to be approved by Aena’s board at the beginning of January. According to the information published by 20Minutos, this project involves the construction of a new terminal building of over 16,000 square meters that will connect to the current terminal. The president of the Canary Islands – in a press conference together with the minister – said…

UK airlines bet on Menorca, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote for summer 2016 Standard

Thomas Cook Airlines taking off in Lanzarote airport by jBarcena - Flickr.

A representative from Menorca’s government, María Sellarés, confirmed the expected traffic increase of the UK airlines in the Balearic Island for the summer of 2016. During the WTM 2015, Jet2.com, Monarch and easyJet announced they have increased the number of seats offered for Menorca for the next summer season. According to Sellarés, the improvements for the island are a consequence of “the strength of the sterling pound, the good trend of our local economy and the increased confidence of consumers. That is not to forget the instability of some Mediterranean destinations that are competitors”. Hence, Hosteltur reported that Jet2.com is committed to increase traffic to…

Aena asked to open Málaga airport’s second runway Standard

Malaga Airport by Rob Stokes - Flickr

Having Málaga airport’s second runway closed during peak days can generate between 30 and 45 minute delays according to USCA. This was reported by LaOpiniónDeMálaga on October 3. Controllers say that, if Aena left the runway open they would achieve a significant improvement in the quality of services provided to passengers and airlines. In their opinion, Aena follows an incorrect criteria to determine whether or not the second runway must be opened. On September 19 with the second runway opened, there was a peak of 35 movements in one hour. However, in other days like June 21, there were peaks of…

Congress approves 2016 General Budget including Aena’s price reduction Standard

Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, Terminal 4 by Mark - Flickr

Yesterday, the 2016 General Budget process was finalized at the Parliament with the approval of the amendments which were previously included at the Senate. These amendments will be incorporated into the final text which will be published in the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) on January, 1 2016. As expected, the parliament approved the 1.9% reduction in all the airport charges. This reduction will be effective as of March, 1 2016. Furthermore, the discount in passenger and security charges for passengers connecting flights has increased from 35% to 40%. This will also be effective on March, 1. For this purpose, Aena considers that passengers…

Aena to apply 1.9% reduction in charges as suggested by the CNMC Standard

Boeing 727-256 Advanced Aena (ex-Iberia) by Dawlad Ast - Flickr

In spite of the fact that neither Aena nor the Government have made any official announcement yet, this morning, ElConfidencial confirmed that Aena has decided to apply a 1.9% reduction in charges. “Not only will Aena apply a 1.9% reduction in airport charges  as Competition told them to do, but they will reinstate the incentives on new routes and increase of passengers as well”. The decision on the incentives has been made by Aena in light of the positive evolution of air traffic, expected to finish 2015 with a 5% increase in passengers. These incentives were removed by Aena in the original General Budget…

ATC Strike scheduled for October 3 is called off Standard

Landing at Madrid Barajas Airport by David - Flickr

The main air traffic controllers’ union, USCA, has called off the strike that had been scheduled for this Saturday October 3. Yesterday, they announced on their web site that an agreement with Enaire had been reached. In spite of the fact that “this agreement does not meet all the objectives” pursued by USCA, they understand that Enaire has resumed negotiations. Thus they find it appropriate to explore an attempt of improving the relationship with Enaire. This attempt will not make them renounce the other claims. Especially in the case of the controller who was dismissed in Santiago de Compostela airport…

Negotiations between Enaire and controllers failed Standard

Spanish slot coordination. Airplane ascending while another one is queing / Jumbero

Yesterday, the air traffic controllers and Enaire had a meeting to discuss the new ATC walkouts that have been scheduled for tomorrow and next Saturday, October 3. However, the parties did not reach an agreement. Previously, the Ministry of Development (Fomento) had published a press release announcing minimum services of 80% for this strike. These are the same levels they had fixed in the previous strike called by the controllers in July. After the meeting, both Enaire and the main representative of the air traffic controllers – USCA – published a press release respectively. On the one hand, Enaire said that…