Alex Cuenca

📌 In Baleares, new tourist accommodation in multi-family homes will be banned, with increased quality requirements for renewals and platforms mandated to check registration numbers. Owners operating illegally face fines up to 500,000 euros, but with an 80% reduction for switching to social or limited-price rentals. Measures include a swap system to control tourist accommodation numbers and a transitional pool for withdrawn licenses. The ecotax will be seasonal, eliminated in January-February, and increased by 66%-200% during peak months. Cruise ships will pay 2-6 euros per night during high season. A new tax on vacation vehicles, ranging from 30 to 80 euros, aims to offset environmental impact.

🛡 Hackers leaked around 700,000 documents from the Federation of Industry of Workers' Commissions (CCOO), exposing the hotels frequented by union leaders outside of Madrid. The leak includes a list of 40 hotels, with options such as the Ilunion Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol, the Monasterio San Miguel, and four and three-star hotels in Barcelona. Prices at Hotel Bernina in Geneva reach approximately 200 euros per night. Additionally, 28 restaurants in Madrid used by the union, including DSTAgE with two Michelin stars and menu prices over 200 euros, were revealed. The breach, carried out by Hunters International, included financial and personal data, after the union failed to pay a ransom.

✈ Aena appealed to the National Court on January 29 against CNMC's decision to keep airport charges frozen at €10.35 per passenger for 2025. Aena's appeal seeks a 0.54% increase to set charges at €10.40 per passenger, expecting to boost annual revenue by €16 million. This is based on an anticipated 320 million passengers for 2025 in Spain. CNMC rejected the initial proposal in December due to regulatory norms of freezing charges until 2026 despite Aena's argument for reflecting over €450 million annual infrastructure investments. Summary: Aena took to court on January 29 to challenge CNMC's freeze on 2025 airport fees at €10.35, pushing for a 0.54% hike to €10.40 per passenger. If successful, Aena could see an annual revenue increase of €16 million, with estimations of 320 million passengers in Spain for 2025. This comes despite a 2024 increase of over four percentage points and amid criticisms from airlines like Ryanair about the negative impact on competitiveness.

🏩 Jerez Airport recovers connectivity after Ryanair's cut of 800,000 seats in regional Spain. Vueling and Volotea respond with new routes and frequencies. Vueling increases Jerez-Barcelona to 10 weekly flights; 4 weekly to Palma de Mallorca. Volotea starts Jerez-Asturias route, 118 flights, over 18,400 seats until the end of October. Volotea's first Jerez flight occurred, regular service from April 11 with 2 weekly frequencies, rising in July-August. Ryanair's cuts represent an 18% capacity reduction, with 12 routes removed.