Alex Cuenca

🛩 La fuerte caída del dólar en el primer semestre de 2025 trajo alivio a las aerolíneas fuera de EE. UU., especialmente en Europa. El dólar se depreció un 7%, reduciendo costos en dólares. El jet fuel bajó un 6%, permitiendo a las aerolíneas con monedas fortalecidas ahorrar un 12% en combustible, un 3% en costos totales. Suecia, zona euro, Brasil, México y Japón se beneficiaron, mientras que Turquía y Argentina enfrentaron costos más altos.

✈️ IndiGo, a major Indian airline, plans to resume flights to China amid improving relations. Talks between the countries, despite not being officially acknowledged, are active. An announcement is expected at the Asian summit in Shanghai on August 31, with leaders Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping attending. Air routes closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing transfers via Singapore or Hong Kong. In 2020, a border clash in the Himalayas resulted in 20 Indian fatalities.

📅 12 de junio, Ahmedabad: Un accidente mortal de un Boeing 787 de Air India causó una crisis en la aviación india. Air India, tras frenar operaciones y enfrentar falsas alarmas y bajas de pilotos, reanudará sus 63 rutas y 525 vuelos semanales el 1 de octubre. Londres-Delhi, Delhi-Tokio, y Delhi-Seúl recuperarán 24 vuelos semanales. Rutas como Amritsar-Gatwick y Goa-Londres también volverán. No se detectaron fallos técnicos; se investiga un posible acto voluntario del primer oficial.

✈️ UGT called a strike for Ryanair’s ground staff via Azul, but it had no impact. Yesterday’s planned strikes (three hours each in the morning, midday, and evening) were ineffective. UGT criticized Azul for not respecting labor rights, claiming they increased staff during strike hours. Meanwhile, a new strike by Menzies ground staff affects British Airways, Emirates, Qatar, EasyJet, and Jet2, running all weekend for three weekends in August.

✈️ Russia, post-Ukraine invasion, aimed to launch domestically manufactured planes by late 2022 due to Western aviation sanctions. As of now, no new-generation planes have materialized. In 2021, Russia added 52 planes, but only 13 over the subsequent three years. Production targets fell from 171 to 21 planes by 2024, yet none are delivered. The MC21, hindered by Russian-only materials, faces operational issues and is set for production in 2026.

✈️ On July 23, during a Valencia to Paris-Orly flight, Vueling removed a group of French youths due to disorderly conduct. The group, aged 12-22, was returning from a camp. AESA concluded Vueling acted correctly for safety, supported by witness accounts indicating continuous disruptions and safety violations. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot sought clarification from Vueling's CEO, while Israeli minister Amichai Chikli defended the group, attributing their actions to singing Hebrew songs. AESA sees no anti-Semitism and may review sanction policies.

🛩️ Air Europa gains €275 million from Turkish Airlines' minority investment, boosting its treasury while retaining control. Turkish Airlines, flush with liquidity, seeks strategic positioning despite Air Europa's deficits. Historical similar investments, like Qatar Airways with Meridiana and Etihad's ventures with Alitalia, resulted in failures. These investments aimed at increasing competitiveness often lacked synergy and profitability. Turkish's model, supported by the Turkish government, remains profitable, yet integration challenges persist.