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Barcelona to start collecting the new green tax in July Standard

Barcelona expected to start collecting the new green tax in July

Green tax: Following with the new green tax in Barcelona airport for the commercial flights that we had anticipated, please see below further detail: The law is expected to come into force in July 2014. Therefore, the green tax will have to be paid from then onwards. Taxpayers are airlines or flight operators departing from Barcelona airport. Special flights such as emergency landings or humanitarian flights are exempted from this green tax. Position flights are not considered as commercial flights and hence are exempted too. This green tax is to be paid as from the 1st of January of the year after…

The Minister confirms they are freezing charges in 2015 Standard

New Barcelona airport terminal

We informed yesterday that Aena would soften their charge increases or even freeze them despite the agreement reached in 2013. Today, the Spanish Minister of Development has announced the charges will be definitely frozen in 2015.Thus, Aena published this morning a press release which we have translated as follows: Pastor announces the airport charges will be frozen for 2015 and extends the incentives   Proposes a cero increase instead of the expected 4.5% The savings achieved thanks to the cost reduction plan in the last two years, together with the traffic increase make this possible Aena forgoes income by 151 million Euros…

Aena to soften the charge increase or even to freeze them Standard

Iberia's plane Terminal 4

AENA started in February the consultation process to set the charges for 2015, as established by the agreement signed on 23rd May 2013 between Aena Aeropuertos and the Airline Associations.As agreed, the maximum charge increase for 2015 was set at CPI plus three points. With regard to 2016, 2017 and 2018 a maximum charge increase of CPI plus four points was fixed.However, according to the information from EuropaPress this morning – based on sources from ACETA – during the meetings held so far both parties agreed that the positive traffic evolution during the months of January (2.5%) and February (3.1%) lead to expect traffic…

Aena becomes profitable Standard

Aena’s logo at Madrid Airport / David

Aena becomes profitable: The Aena Group published a press release confirming they had become profitable with benifits by 715 million Euros in 2013. According to elEconomista.es this has been possible thanks to cuts in costs and increases in fees.Thus, the EBITDA – gross operating profit – reached 1,610 million Euros, 32.5% over those 1,215 million of 2012.Most of these net benefits come from Aena Aeropuertos which, for the first time, managed to be profitable and finished 2013 with a net income of 597 million Euros. In 2012 they had a loss by 75.7 million Euros.The Government is trying to privatise Aena Aeropuertos since June 2011 when the…

10 bids have been placed for the Handling licenses in 22 Spanish airports Standard

A380 receiving ground handling services at Frankfurtt

On March, 20 Aena launched a press release informing on the bids that had been placed for the ramp handling licenses to be tendered in the Spanish airports as per the Terms and Conditions that had been anticipated.This is our translation into English:20 March 2014 10 bids have been placed for the public tender called by Aena to award the licenses for 22 airports of the net. In particular, these bids are referred to the first phase of the tender on ground handling to third parties for 22 airports which serve less than one million passengers a year and have an only handling agent….

Consultation Process of airport rates for year 2015 Standard

consultation

Aena Aeropuertos has initiated the consultation process with Airline Associations on the amendments of airport charges for year 2015.The Aena’s proposal maintains the agreements reached with the airlines in 2013 to smooth the cost recovery process, which was set by Royal Decree 11/2013, and fixes the maximum increases until year 2018 as following: In 2015 the increase will be of CPI+3%. The maximum has been fixed  at 4.5% In 2016 the increase will be of CPI+4%. In this case, up to a maximum of 5.5% In 2017 the increase will be of CPI+4%. The fixed maximum is 5.5% too. In 2018 the increase…

Agreement Iberia-handling employees Standard

Iberia A320 / Mikebert4

The negotiations between Iberia and the handling employees are expected to have finished by this week. Only a few days before the deadline for placing bids for the first handling tender on March, 20.Servimedia – Spanish news agency – was informed that Iberia achieved a deal with the representatives of the handling employees which would let them compete both in the handling tenders and in the aircraft maintenance market. To this respect, it is worth noting ActualidadAeroespacial informed that Iberia-Maintenance had reached an agreement with Evelop Airlines to perform the aircraft maintenance at the Iberia’s Barcelona base. In this market, Iberia intends to keep the Vueling’s contract,…

The new Aena Charges are already in force Standard

Graph diagram pie chart 3d

The new Aena charges: On March, 1 the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) published the Law 1/2014. Through this law, the expected changes in the Aena charges are made official and have therefore immediate effect.As a consequence of this law, all fees charged by Aena since March 1 will be updated as previously explained in this summary.The Aena charges have been updated in our Flight Cost Calculator accordingly for your easy check and understanding. If you have any doubt just leave us a message.Due to the fact that Aena stopped collecting the approach charge, this fee does not appear in our FC Calculator any longer.On the other…

Regulatory framework on airport subventions Standard

consultation

Tomorrow, the European Commission is approving a new regulatory framework on public subventions to airports and airlines. Some countries might be affected, considering that most of their regional airports would have to close. This would be a plus point for the Spanish net usefulness, where the non profitable airports are protected without the need of direct airport subventions from the State.The new rules may change the map of the European aviation industry where the influence of the low cost airlines is significant. Also, the clarification of these rules would facilitate the interest from investors in the Aena’s eventual privatisation. Moreover, it should…

New environmental tax in Barcelona airport Standard

Barcelona Airport Terminal

The Government of Catalonia approved last Tuesday the creation of an environmental tax that will be charged in Barcelona to commercial flights. The Catalan Government expects this measure be definitely adopted before the next summer. It is expected that this rate be charged to all commercial flights departing from Barcelona airport and they presume to collect about 3.9 million Euros a year.According to the Minister of the Presidency, Mr. Homs, this new tax will not generate an extra cost for passengers since the Law Regulations will prevent airlines charge this new tax to their clients directly.According to travelupdate.com this new tax would increase the amounts…