Miguel Praga

✈️ Iberia, a year after renouncing full control over Air Europa, faces a strengthened Air Europa due to Turkish Airlines' entry. Juan José Hidalgo, Air Europa's president, aims to cancel debts and expand rapidly. IAG, owning 20% of Air Europa, must decide on its future stake amid Air Europa's capital increase. Turkish plans to add up to 12 aircraft to Air Europa's operations at Barajas hub, enhancing access to Airbus and Boeing.

✈ Saudi Arabia, 2025, Dammam: The Saudi government, via its Civil Aviation Authority, has awarded a contract to a consortium of Nesma, Air Arabia, and UK-based Holding KUN to establish a low-cost airline. This airline will operate 24 domestic and 57 international routes by 2030, utilizing 45 aircraft to transport 10 million passengers. The project aims to boost the Gulf-adjacent region's economy while following the transformative models of Dubai and Qatar.

✈ Madrid air traffic controllers managed two simultaneous emergencies. On the same day, Transavia's Airbus A320, flying from Agadir to Paris, was diverted to Barajas Airport due to a passenger's potential heart issue, requiring urgent medical attention. The controllers prioritized descent and landing on runway 32L. Concurrently, a Titan Airways A320 bound for Zurich returned to Barajas shortly after takeoff due to a technical warning.

🛩 Ryanair, April 2024, Serbia and EU: Ryanair demands EU intervention during a 40-day air traffic control strike in Belgrade, causing 99 flight delays and affecting 17,800 EU passengers. Despite Ryanair's appeal to President Ursula von der Leyen, Serbia isn't in the EU, limiting Brussels' jurisdiction. Communications director Jade Kirwan highlights the impact on passengers merely overflying Serbian airspace. Ryanair urges action to safeguard EU flights from such disruptions.

🛑 Exploring East Asia and Romania early in the day reveals tourist-free attractions. 🕗 Early morning visits to locations like Vlad Tepes' castle ensure peaceful experiences before buses arrive around 9 AM. Tour operators are now studying tourist flows to redistribute crowds, potentially leading to earlier or later visits. This shift may disrupt residents, making popular sites continuously crowded. Night visits to places like the Louvre could become a reality, catering to international audiences via live streams.