Miguel Praga

🛫 India, 2025: Aviation is booming with 100 new airports launched this year, averaging one every three days. Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opened Phase 1 for 20 million passengers, expandable to 90 million. NMIA, Mumbai's second airport, reduces pressure on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport. NMIA generated 200,000 jobs, with international flights starting February 2026. Mumbai Metro Line 3 now connects the airport to the city.

✈ Juan José Hidalgo, President of Air Europa, highlighted the repayment of a €475 million state rescue, emphasizing no taxpayer money was used by Air Europa or Globalia. The company returned the loan with over €100 million in interest, proving their viability plan's success. Despite media scrutiny over alleged Koldo involvement, Hidalgo asserts Air Europa's passenger numbers are robust due to negative publicity. Javier Hidalgo, his son, facilitated the rescue talks, with Juan José Hidalgo providing personal guarantees.

📅 Cada inicio de campaña de Imserso entre septiembre y octubre genera frustración entre 4,329,606 pensionistas en España. El programa ofrece 879,213 plazas, una disminución de 470,000 viajes desde 2017. La demanda sigue creciendo debido al envejecimiento de la población, pero la oferta continúa disminuyendo. Expertos sugieren limitar el programa a pensionistas con rentas bajas, ya que las rentas medias de los mayores de 65 años son un 18% superiores al promedio nacional.

✈️ Qantas, an Australian airline, faced challenges restoring its A380 aircraft post-pandemic. The aircraft, registered VH-OQC, was stored from March 22, 2020, until November 29, 2025, requiring 100,000 man-hours for restoration in Abu Dhabi. After a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, it experienced issues: a winglet partially disintegrated, electrical failures disrupted in-flight entertainment, and overflowing bathrooms. The aircraft returned to Abu Dhabi for further repairs.

🛫 Kansai Airport in Osaka Bay, Japan, is notable for not losing a single luggage out of ten million bags in 31 years. It features one of the world's most sophisticated baggage handling systems. In Kansai's region, 15 out of 100,000 bags are lost annually, compared to 35 in North and South America and the Middle East, and 98 in Europe. Kansai's policy ensures all bags reach arrival belts within 15 minutes of landing.

✈ Volotea, facing €503 million losses over six years, may revert to dual-manufacturer operations, considering Embraer E2 or Airbus A220 to replace its 150-seater A319. Plans include adding 5-10 mid-aged A320s. CEO Carlos Muñoz eyes launching 1,000-1,300 new routes. Despite agreeing with Ryanair on high airport taxes in Spain and France, Volotea remains committed to small and medium airports, emphasizing improved connectivity in Europe.