Miguel Praga

✈️ Air Europa received its first Boeing 737 Max in Madrid from Seattle, with plans to renew its short and medium-haul fleet. Four more units will arrive this year, followed by ten in 2026, reaching 20 by mid-2027. Initially, these planes will serve medium-haul continental routes, eventually covering short-haul domestic routes.

🛫 A partir del 26 de octubre, Barcelona tendrá un tercer vuelo diario de Emirates hacia Dubái. Dos vuelos usarán Boeing 777 a las 15:10 y 20:25, y uno será con A380 a las 15:30. Con 21 vuelos semanales, es la ciudad española mejor conectada con Dubái, seguida de Madrid con 14. Rutas adicionales incluyen Qatar y Etihad. Destinos principales: Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapur, Maldivas y Bali.

🛣 En Italia, el 9 de febrero, una huelga ferroviaria paralizó los servicios desde las 9 p.m. del jueves hasta la misma hora del viernes, afectando especialmente a los viajeros en Milán hacia el aeropuerto de Malpensa. Avisos de cancelación se dieron solo seis minutos antes, complicando aún más la situación. La huelga formó parte de un paro general apoyado por cinco sindicatos, demandando menos gasto militar y más fondos para salud, educación, transporte e higiene laboral.

✈️ Iberia's Flight Plan 2030 targets 12 American destinations, expanding long-haul focus. With 25 new aircraft by mid-2030s, including 5 A321XLRs and 9 A350s, Iberia aims to boost flights to San Francisco, Santo Domingo, and more. New routes: Toronto, Philadelphia, Monterrey. Current fleet: 45, projected: 70. Iberia leads Europe-Latin America/Caribbean flights with a 17% market share and 25% U.S. traffic share, growing 8% since 2019.

✈️ Skytrax's annual index ranks global airline quality. In 2025, Qatar Airways leads, followed by Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, and All Nippon Airways. The top European airline is Turkish at sixth place. European rankings feature Turkish, Air France, Swiss, British Airways, and others. Business class leaders are Qatar and Singapore, while Singapore excels in First Class. Air Asia tops low-cost carriers, with Scoot and IndiGo trailing. Iberia places seventh among European airlines.

✈ Air India, facing chaos, announced on Thursday the suspension of flights to three destinations: Delhi-Nairobi, Amritsar-Gatwick, and Goa-Gatwick. Flight frequencies are reduced on 16 routes including Vancouver, Toronto, San Francisco, and Chicago. Operations, primarily using 787 aircraft under inspection, are slowed. This service reduction starts immediately and continues until July 15, due to the Iranian airspace closure and safety inspections.

✈ Iberia and Air Europa suspend flights to Israel due to conflict with Iran. Iberia cancels all flights from Madrid to Tel Aviv until October 25, offering refunds and flexible rebooking options via EL AL. Air Europa halts Tel Aviv flights until July 31, with plans to extend the suspension. Ben Gurion Airport remains deserted amidst the ongoing conflict.