Alex Cuenca

📊 José Luis Ábalos, former Minister of Transport, held at least nine meetings with Air Europa officials during negotiations for a €475 million rescue. These occurred between June 10 and October 28, 2020, with key meetings in Madrid, Ibiza, Marbella, and the Ministry of Transport. Despite formal aid request on August 20, meetings and pressure tactics began earlier, notably attempting to expedite the rescue process. Allegations include a €500,000 transfer from Juan José Hidalgo to Koldo García on October 28.

🚨 Barajas Airport faced another violent weekend, reports El Mundo, with vandalized bathrooms in Terminal 2 and a tourist attack attempt in the parking area. UGT union highlighted ongoing safety concerns for staff, citing ineffective surveillance. A serious incident involved Ana, an airport cleaner, being attacked by a homeless individual. A similar attack on May 9 involved Ecuadorian travelers robbed of €2,000 and tickets worth €9,000. Over 400 homeless people stay at the airport nightly, worsening work conditions.

✈️ EASA CEO Florian Guillermet confirmed the C919 won't arrive in Europe before 2028, with certification taking 3-6 years. Despite China's expectations for a 2025 approval, the aircraft still requires design validation, component reviews, and test flights. Delivered its first plane to China Eastern in 2022, Comac plans 30 deliveries in 2025 and aims for 150 annually within five years. With ~1,000 orders, the C919, priced at $70 million, challenges Airbus and Boeing by offering a cheaper alternative.

🏠 38% of people staying overnight at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport work daily. A census shows 421 homeless individuals residing there, with 78% being men aged 45-64. 74% of them are foreign, predominantly from Latin America. A lack of affordable housing is cited as a primary issue. Recommendations include municipal network expansion, urgent intervention by the Community of Madrid, and a more humane approach from Aena. 45% have lived in Spain for over five years.