Miguel Praga

🛫 Wizz Air, November 2025, Tel Aviv: Wizz Air plans to establish a base in Israel to lower airfare costs, following their failed expansion in Abu Dhabi. CEO József Váradi, after meeting with Transport Minister Miri Regev, stated regulatory and business challenges remain, but significant progress has been made. Local airlines oppose the move, fearing foreign competition. The Israeli government aims to conclude negotiations by January's end.

🛩 Norse Atlantic experienced heavy losses despite a record summer 2024 with 90% occupancy. Who? Norse Atlantic. What? Lost $7.8 million this summer, up from a $6.3 million loss in summer 2024. Where? Mainly on Atlantic routes. How? Revenue rose to $250 million, but unexpected costs included $25 million in maintenance and $9 million in operational incidents. Why? High competition, cost inflation, and operational costs. When? Summer 2024. Now, they plan charter flights for cruise companies.

🛫 Daniel Buil from World2Fly reveals Airbus A330 visuals rented via ACMI to Rainbow Tours. Replacing Plus Ultra, World2Fly's partnership with the Polish tour operator runs from November 2025 to March 2026. Flights will connect Katowice and Poznań with Cartagena, Porlamar, Puerto Plata, Varadero, Bangkok, and Phu Quoc.

🗺 En Telemadrid, el jueves, Esperanza Aguirre defendió el rescate de Air Europa frente a críticas del diputado PP Manuel Cobo. La polémica involucra a Begoña Gómez, esposa del presidente, en acusaciones de tráfico de influencias. Aguirre niega pruebas y destaca la necesidad del rescate por meses de inactividad aérea. En el programa Horizonte de Cuatro, periodistas analizaron la relación de Begoña y Air Europa, sin que Eduardo Inda comentara sobre el tema.

🛫 Ryanair, on November 28, 2023, announced the end of its Ryanair Prime subscription program after just eight months. Despite 55,000 members generating €4.4 million in subscription fees, the program cost exceeded this, with members receiving over €6 million in discounts. The program will fully terminate in October 2026. According to CMO Dara Brady, the earnings did not justify the effort required for monthly exclusive sales, diverging from Ryanair’s usual revenue-focused approach.

✈ Iberia focuses on long-haul flights to boost profitability. Despite slower-than-expected growth in Latin America and the U.S. due to aircraft and engine shortages, Iberia strengthens its presence. IAG reports Iberia and Level capacity grew by 4.3% and 22.5% in Q3 2024, respectively, while British Airways reduced by 4.6%. Iberia's current long-haul fleet includes 23 A350s, 20 A330s, and six A321XLRs, with two more A321XLRs expected by 2026.

✈️ Dos pasajeros, de 28 y 47 años, fueron detenidos en Alemania por invadir la pista de un aeropuerto tras el cierre de puertas de embarque del vuelo W43262 de Wizz Air. Esto ocurrió en Colonia, en un intento de viajar a Bucarest. El incidente retrasó el vuelo 12 minutos. Los hombres accedieron a la pista rompiendo una puerta de emergencia. La policía calificó el acto como delito y remitió el caso a la justicia alemana.

📊 José Luis Ábalos, former Transport Minister, was sent to provisional prison by Supreme Court Judge Leopoldo Puente. He claims the government is targeting him to conceal ties between Air Europa and Begoña Gómez. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Alejandro Luzón suspects Ábalos accepted bribes from Air Europa, which allegedly covered his Marbella vacation in exchange for facilitating a state aid of €475 million. Ábalos questions why Air Europa isn't charged with bribery, implying political motives.