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Author Archives: Jorge Masot

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…

Corvera and San Javier will coexist until 2016 Standard

Corvera airport being constructed in June 2012 / Adam Hinett

Corvera and San Javier airports will both be open at the same time until 2016. Then, Aena expect to close San Javier to commercial flights.Today LaInformacion.com informs that the Councillor for Public Works of the Murcia’s Government – Manuel Campos – confirmed the above after attending the Regional Assembly.He also said that, according to Aena, all four airports Alicante, Almería, Corvera and San Javier are compatible. He noted that “San Javier is a military aerodrome which can be closed to commercial flights, but Corvera is more worthwhile. It has over 3,000 meters and better facilities”.He reminded they expect to have certificates for tower…

Aena privatisation is confirmed Standard

Lufthansa takeoff shot from Barcelona airport terminal / Kozumel

Ana Pastor – Minister of Development – managed to succeed with her plans and they will finally go ahead with the Aena privatisation. Aena will make an initial public offering (IPO) this autumn. However, they will put on sale only 49% of the company instead of 60% as their Consulting Council of Privatisation (CCP) had recommended.A smaller part through the same privatisation system.The council of ministers reached an agreement last Friday. Thus, they confirmed the Aena privatisation will be distributed in two phases: 28% through an IPO, and 21% for a stable nucleus with at least three main shareholders. This is…

The Norwegian Madrid base is inaugurated Standard

Norwegian B737 LN-KKW at Madrid / Aero Icarus

Yesterday, lainformacion.com informed that the Norwegian Madrid Base was opened during a launch ceremony. Thus, the third European low cost airline starts their Adolfo Suárez Madrid base to operate seven direct routes. Norwegian has already got a base in Alicante, Barcelona, Málaga, Gran Canaria and Tenerife. They have now based two B737-800s in Madrid to cover their daily flights to London and Copenhagen – One frequency is being added to the Copenhagen flight. Also, they will fly to Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, Hamburg, Warsaw and Malta.Ms Ana Isabel Mariño – the Madrid councillor of employment, tourism and culture – attended this ceremony, together with…

Castellón airport to start operations this year (as well) Standard

Valencia Autonomous Region president presenting the Castellón airport project / PresidenciaGVA

According to LaVanguardia.com SNC-Lavalin confirmed the first commercial flight will operate in Castellón airport before the end of 2014. They foresee to have reached one million passengers per year in ten years.We had recently informed that Murcia-Corvera airport intend to start operations in 2014 as well. Probably both airports want to take benefit from the good figures of the Spanish airports in general, and Alicante in particular. Alicante gained passengers by 7.7% between January and April 2014 with regard to the same period of 2013. Alain Russel, chairman of SNC-Lavalin – the company to manage Castellón airport – said this during the presentation of the project for the Castellón…