Alex Cuenca

🚄 In 2024, Spain's train market saw 49 million passengers, a 42% increase from 2019. Renfe, Ouigo, and Iryo's competition saved citizens €503.9 million, with ticket prices dropping 33%. Despite improved results in 2024, companies faced €99.5 million in losses, down from €133 million in profits in 2019. High-speed rail incurred over €600 million in losses since market liberalization. Domestic train travel is 56.5% of long-distance trips, surpassing air travel. Infrastructure improvements are deemed essential for growth.

📦 El Juzgado de Instrucción número 13 de Madrid initiates preliminary proceedings involving Begoña Gómez, wife of Spain's president, and ex-CEO of Globalia, Javier Hidalgo, for alleged misconduct in Air Europa's bailout. The inquiry, now with Juzgado de Instrucción 41, stems from a complaint by Manos Limpias alleging influence peddling during meetings in June-July 2020. The bailout was approved in November 2020. The investigation explores possible legal breaches.

✈ Un Airbus A320 de Marabu tuvo un complicado aterrizaje en el aeropuerto de Madeira debido a fuertes vientos cruzados. El avión rebotó bruscamente en la pista antes de tocar tierra nuevamente.

🛩 Air Europa has received its second Boeing 737 Max, continuing its fleet renewal for short and medium-haul routes. The first unit arrived in May 2025. Two more units are expected by the end of the year, with 10 additional planes by 2026. The total will reach 20 aircraft by mid-2028, a year later than initially planned. Delivered by AerCap, these planes will serve medium-haul routes, occasionally used for domestic flights.

✈ Transavia increases seats by 17% for summer 2026, offering 61 routes linking Spain to Europe. Key cities: Barajas, El Prat, Valencia, Málaga, Alicante, Baleares, Canarias. New route: Marseille-Sevilla, starting April 9, 2026, with prices from €33. Expands 10 new routes from Paris-Orly and Schiphol, targeting Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Egypt, Turkey. Summer season: March 29 - October 31, 2026, with ticket resale option available.

✈ Airbus A380 faced 95 airworthiness directives since 2020, doubling those for Boeing models. Main issues: landing gear shaft breaks, structural joint cracks, and evacuation system leaks, partly due to pandemic inactivity. High operational costs led to the dismantling of many units. Emirates, the most affected airline, owns 116 A380s, with 21 grounded due to technical issues. Emirates plans to operate them until 2040 with upgrades and maintenance.

✈️ Wizz Air's Airbus A321XLR experienced a tail strike during landing at Prague airport, resulting in visible damage to the lower fuselage. The plane landed harshly, causing a bounce that led to the incident.

🛩 Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, survived a June Air India crash post-takeoff, leaving him traumatized and considering staying in India. His brother, Ajay, 35, died, and Vishwash, seated in 11A, escaped nearly unscathed physically. His wife, Hiral, and their 4-year-old son support him in India. Families of victims criticize Indian authorities for neglect and seek assistance from English officials. Legal proceedings against the airline are progressing slowly, as is common in India.