Divers

🛫 Seven airlines operate 21 long-haul routes with narrow-body aircraft in Spain. Madrid primarily connects to destinations like Washington and New York, while Barcelona links to Halifax and Montreal. Iberia, with six Airbus A321XLR planes, expands its network to cities like Boston and Toronto. Over 550 A321XLR orders exist from 25+ airlines. The Boeing 737 MAX also supports this transatlantic shift, indicating a strategic change in long-haul aviation.

✈️ USO and CGT unions have called for strikes at Iberia's handling service at Barajas Airport over the holiday season. When? December 23, 26, 30, 2025, and January 2, 7, 2026. What time? 8:00-12:00 and 18:00-22:00. Why? Wage inaccuracies, unpaid bonuses, and unequal treatment of part-time staff. They demand better work-life balance scheduling, new worker training, and non-discriminatory uniform standards.

✈ Volotea abrirá su base número 20 en Europa en el aeropuerto de Montpellier en otoño de 2026, siendo la undécima en Francia. Inicialmente, contará con un Airbus A320, generando 30 empleos directos y más de 170 indirectos. Se lanzarán nuevas rutas a Burdeos, Madrid, Tenerife Sur, y Lanzarote, sumándose a las existentes. Volotea ha ofrecido más de tres millones de plazas en Montpellier durante 13 años, consolidándose como un punto clave en su red.

🛩 Ukrainian plane emergency landing at Asturias Airport on December 18, 2025, involved an Antonov An-26 from Vulkan Air. The aircraft experienced an engine failure after takeoff from Vigo, causing partial blockage of the airport. The plane was immobilized, with no reported damages beyond the aircraft itself.

🗺️ World2Meet and Europamundo are expanding their strategic alliance. When? March 2026 to March 2027. Where? Asia, including Japan, South Korea, and China. What? Over 30 travel circuits tailored for different traveler profiles. How? Through joint business, launched in September, optimizing travel between March and November for ideal conditions. The circuits are marketed under Kannak by Europamundo and Europamundo brands, focusing on Spain and Portugal, with global itineraries available.

✈️ Air Europa delays its return to Venezuela until January 11, 2026, citing ongoing tensions in the country. The airline will be absent for almost two months. Passengers with tickets to Caracas between January 1-31, 2026, can change dates free of charge until March 31, 2026. Alternatives include changing routes, saving the ticket value as a future credit, or requesting a refund.

🥂 Miguel Fluxá hosted a Christmas lunch on Wednesday for friends and island authorities. The event honored late hotel industry leaders Escarrer Juliá, Piñero Ibernón, and Codolá Camps. Notable attendees included Juan Llull (Hipotels), Martín Santandreu (Excellence), and others from Spain and abroad. Apologies were sent by Luis Riu. Representatives from law enforcement and Fluxá's team were present, making it a gathering of prominent personalities in the hospitality and security sectors.

✈️ Air Europa, August 2025, fleet issues resolved, operates Boeing 787 efficiently, with occasional Iberojet aid for routes to Havana and New York. The airline previously faced severe fleet problems, with up to four grounded planes, necessitating frequent third-party reliance. Current fleet: approximately 60 aircraft, half for long-haul. Seeking additional 787 Dreamliners before A350s arrive. Performance of existing long-haul fleet satisfactory, enabling operational expansion.

✈️ Pilotos de un Airbus A320 de Discover Airlines enfrentaron condiciones de aterrizaje "casi imposibles" en el aeropuerto de Madeira. Lograron evitar un "go around" gracias a su destreza, pese a los fuertes vientos cruzados característicos de uno de los aeropuertos más desafiantes del mundo. Madeira es conocido por su pista corta y condiciones climáticas complejas, lo que demanda habilidades excepcionales de los pilotos.

✈️ Vueling will expand its summer 2026 program with 13 new routes, including Barcelona to Nador and Fez, and extend several winter-only connections. From Santiago de Compostela, a new international route to Marrakech and domestic routes to Jerez and Ibiza will be launched. Alicante adds flights to Tangier and Constantine, while Bilbao introduces routes to Edinburgh and Split. Palma de Mallorca adds Brussels and Zurich, and new links from Seville to London-Heathrow and Santander to Paris-Orly are also planned.