Alex Cuenca

📣 In a recent Congress session, Pedro Sánchez and Alberto Núñez Feijóo clashed over the Air Europa rescue, following leaked WhatsApp chats with ex-minister José Luis Ábalos. Feijóo demanded explanations and Sánchez's resignation, criticizing Sánchez's involvement and the judicial situation impacting the PP. Sánchez deflected, targeting PP leadership and hinting at changes in the PP's upcoming July congress, while avoiding direct responses about Air Europa.

💥 José Luis Ábalos, former Spanish Minister of Transport and second-in-command in the government and PSOE party, is accused of using Paradores in Sigüenza and Teruel for parties with prostitutes in May 2021, during the country's second state of emergency with movement restrictions from which he was exempt. Employing at least four rooms, including suites 210 and 211, the festivity caused property damage, including a broken TV remote and a lamp. The maintenance head reported cocaine residue, while a server identified Ábalos' companion as Andrea de la Torre; she denies her presence. Parador management disputes the workers' accounts.

✈ Travel agencies in the Balearic Islands demand an increase in the resident discount on air and sea tickets from 75% to 80% to counteract the recent price hike, which has led to an €11.50 rise for residents and up to €46 for non-EU citizens. Aviba's president Pedro Fiol states this would nullify the short-term effects of inter-island flight cost increases and believes it would not significantly burden the state but greatly benefit residents and businesses. The proposed discount would support frequent travellers like businesspeople, teachers, and healthcare workers, potentially influencing their decision to work across the islands. Additionally, it could affect internal tourism demand, particularly ferry transport, which offers stable prices and the option to travel with a vehicle. Despite the lack of an exclusive operating regime for inter-island routes, which should encourage competition, Fiol expresses surprise at the sudden fare surge.

📍 In October 2020, SEPI technicians proposed reducing the state bailout for Air Europa to €440 million due to a €35 million dividend distributed by the Hidalgo family in February of the same year. Despite the proposal, Air Europa ultimately received €475 million. The loan, part of the Support Fund for Strategic Companies, was approved by the Council of Ministers on November 3, 2020, within a month of the formal application, significantly faster than the usual year-long process. This expedited approval was influenced by Globalia's urgency to sell the airline to Iberia for €1 billion and high-level contact by the Hidalgo family with Spanish government officials, including President Pedro Sánchez.

✈ Ryanair was ordered by the Court of First Instance No. 10 in Zaragoza to pay €250 in compensation to a passenger whose flight was delayed over three hours. The incident involved no extraordinary circumstances to justify the delay. Ryanair claimed force majeure due to unavailable aircraft, yet it was deemed a business decision for resource optimization. The airline, aware of an accumulated delay on the London-Oporto connection, failed to prevent impact on the Zaragoza-Palma route, covering 396 km, under EU Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 which mandates €250 compensation for delays beyond three hours for distances less than 1,500 km.

📍 Travel agencies in the Balearic Islands report that foreign citizens without legal rights are improperly benefiting from resident discounts on flight and ferry tickets, causing fraud to public funds, agencies, and airlines. Pedro Fiol, president of the agency association Aviba, highlights confusion between registration and entitlement as well as municipal errors in certificate issuance. Despite years of occurrence and discussions with the Federation of Local Entities of Balears (FELIB), the issue persists, with Aviba noting economic losses for airlines due to improper boarding approvals. Latin American citizens are mainly affected by this confusion but are not generally acting with fraudulent intent. Fiol urges municipalities to improve staff training and for airlines to collaborate in verifying discount eligibility, and suggests extending benefits to non-EU residents with temporary permits who contribute to the islands.