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Unprecedented lobby group formed by Air France KLM, Easyjet, IAG, Lufthansa and Ryanair Standard

Violeta Bulc- European Commissioner for Transport by epp group - flickr

On June 17th, ElEconomista reported on the formation of an unprecedented lobby group made up of some the biggest names in European commercial aviation. Air France KLM, Easyjet, IAG, Lufthansa and Ryanair have formed a lobby to defend their interests before the drafting of new European air transport policy. The lobby is expected to put pressure on the European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc, on 80% of the subjects to be covered in this new policy. The lobby has its priorities clear, one of the most important being the reduction of fees in the main European airports. European airport fees…

Binter Cabo Verde to be the new AOC of Binter Canarias Standard

Binter Canarias ATR 72-500 EC-KGJ landing in Funchal by Aero Icarus

Binter Cabo Verde will be registered as an African airline tomorrow. Even though they do not have an AOC yet, they are expecting to get it granted by the Authorities of Cape Verde soon. ElMundo published the information yesterday: Binter Cabo Verde will have two planes to fly from the African archipelago. They will have a staff of 60 Cabo Verdean employees. However, the new company will be integrated in the Spanish brand Binter. The Spanish airline currently has 16 regional aircrafts ATR 72-500 and two CRJs. The latter two will be the ones that Binter Cabo Verde will use. Then, at the end of 2015,…

Air Controllers keep the strike after failure in talks Standard

Madrid airport tower by Mathieu Marquer

Yesterday morning, air controllers confirmed they would keep the walkouts which had been scheduled for today from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00 LT in the Spanish airports. The meeting they held with Enaire ended without success. According to the information published by ElEconomista, Enaire called the main controllers’ Union (USCA) for a meeting. After a short one, the controllers decided to go on with the strike for today and Sunday as previously scheduled. So far, the walkouts held on Monday and Wednesday have gone by with flight punctuality close to 100%. From the USCA’s point of view, the minimum…

Future looks grim for Air Horizont and León Air Standard

Air Horizont Plane by BrunoGeiger - flickr

Two new airlines, Air Horizont and León Air, are already facing serious financial challenges after beginning operations this 2015 summer season. The website O2B cites the root of the problem as being the lack of demand due to alternative forms of transportation, more specifically, high-speed trains. León Air has already had to discount its Burgos- Barcelona tickets due to a 30% drop in demand during its first month. Air Horizont, based in Zaragoza, had originally programmed flights this season to Munich, Rome, Barcelona and Alicante. However, according to O2B, owing to lack of demand the company has since said it,…

HGA Partners Limited presents an offer for Ciudad Real airport Standard

Air Nostrum operating in Ciudad Real Central Airport by Tercera Fundación - Flickr

The company HGA Partners Limited, through its General Director – Uttam Reddy – presented a 90 million Euro offer to acquire the Ciudad Real airport. This is a firm, binding and irrevocable offer for the airport, which is currently under court receivership. Hence the High Court of the Autonomous Region – Castilla La Mancha – said the viability of the offer is now being analysed. The information was published in ElConfidencial last Thursday. In July 2014 the Commercial Court of Ciudad Real extended the deadline for the sale, lowering the asking price to 80 million Euros in an attempt to find a buyer. Otherwise, the…

Minimum services of 70% for the air controllers’ strike next week Standard

Madrid's skyscrapers from the airport and the Terminal 4 ATC tower. Flickr - Armando G Alonso.

The Ministry of Development (Fomento) has confirmed the Spanish air traffic controllers’ strike and has established the minimum services in 70% of the scheduled staff for those days.  The controllers called a strike to protest the decision to sanction 61 controllers over a strike which ended with the total closure of Spanish air space in 2010. Being unable to reach an agreement with the main controllers’ union (USCA), the Government published a press release on both enaire.es and fomento.es to define the minimum services. This is the translation from Spanish: <<Development fixes the minimum services for the strike called by ENAIRE’s air…

Aeromur officially drops out of Corvera Standard

EC-IUX, Beech Super King Air B200, (cn BB-1840), TAS Transportes Aéreos del Sur, landing at San Javier by Fotero - Flickr

Despite Aena’s initial hesitation, Murciatoday published a report that Ana Pastor, the Minister of Development, gave her approval of the closure of San Javier airport to civil traffic which is to be replaced by Corvera. Murciatoday mentioned that during Pastor’s recent visit to Murcia, “the subject of the compensation which will have to be paid to Aena for investments made at San Javier when the airport is closed down was once again raised. The figure is currently being quoted in the press at 37 million euros, a debt which will be shouldered by whichever company wins the contract to manage…

Strikes called by air traffic controllers and Ryanair handling staff Standard

Barcelona airport ATC tower / Victor

“Spain’s air traffic controllers’ union (USCA) has called partial strikes for June 8, 10, 12, and 14 to protest the national airport authority’s decision to sanction 61 controllers over a wildcat stoppage that led to the total closure of Spanish air space in December 2010.” This is part of the information which was published in the English version of ElPais yesterday. At the same time, ElConfidencial informed this morning that Ángel Luis Arias Serrano has been appointed Director General of Enaire. Julio Gómez-Pomar continues to be chairman, being Secretary State for Infraestructure which corresponds to the Ministry of Development (Fomento). However, due to heavy workload as such,…

Aena awarded the ramp handling licenses for its 43 airports Standard

A view from door 2L of the left wing of Iberia Airbus A340-600 EC-JOH upon arrival at Madrid Barajas Airport by Matt Hintsa - Flickr

Yesterday evening Aena announced they have awarded the ramp handling licenses for their 43 airports. In November, Aena received 167 bids for its 19 major airports. Beforehand, in March, they received 10 bids for the ramp handling licenses in the 22 Spanish airports with less than a million passengers per year within the first phase of the handling tender. Now, they have awarded all the licenses together, which will be in effect for the next seven years. With the new licenses Aena offers more competitive ground handling solutions to airlines, adapting their pricing structure to the particular needs. In terms and…

Aena tells airlines it will not lower fees Standard

Aena Logo by Ricardo Ricote Rodríguez - Flickr

El Economista reported that the third meeting in the consulting process between the administrator of the airport network (Aena) and the airlines that operate in Spain took place yesterday. During the meeting, Aena confirmed that it wants to freeze the fees and subsidies for new routes and increase in passengers at a time in which air traffic is on the rise -the year could end with a 4% increase- and the company is already listed in the stock exchange. The airlines, on the other hand, would like to lower fees that are now frozen until 2025. The Minister of Development,…