Divers

🛩 Air India 787 landed in Birmingham on Saturday, 4th, at 19:07 with its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed. The flight originated from Amritsar. Despite the RAT's activation, an airline spokesperson confirmed normal operations and adherence to safety protocols. The RAT deploys for emergency power when an anomaly is detected, as seen in a recent accident in India. The airplane was grounded for inspections, and the return flight was canceled.

🏝️ Grupo Piñero celebrated 50 years in October 2025 in Cancún, Mexico, with a focus on substance over branding. Soltour, the tour operation brand, marked five decades since Pablo Piñero launched it, with agents from Spain and Portugal attending. The event honored Piñero’s commitment to sustainability. The group operates Bahía Príncipe hotels, Soltour travel, golf, and eco-friendly mobility initiatives. Pablo Piñero passed away eight years ago, leaving a legacy still relevant today.

✈ Varias aerolíneas, incluidas Air Europa, Volotea, Air Nostrum, y Plus Ultra, deben a la SEPI 1,475 millones de euros del rescate de 2,681 millones recibido durante la pandemia. Se ha devuelto 45% (1,206 millones). La UE permite extender el límite de pago de 2029 a 2032. Air Europa debe 475 millones, con plazo hasta 2026. Volotea y Air Nostrum han renegociado plazos, mientras Plus Ultra ha cumplido pagos de intereses, comenzando el reembolso del capital en 2026.

🚢 Mohamed bin Salmán has spearheaded reforms in Saudi Arabia since 2017. In 2024, Saudi Arabia attracted 29.7 million international tourists, rising by 8% from the previous year. Key pilgrimage tourism includes Hajj (1.61 million) and Umrah (10.6 million). Red Sea Global, led by John Pagano, is driving economic diversification with six resorts open and 16 more in development. Saudi projects like The Red Sea and Amaala are set to contribute $9 billion annually to GDP. Geopolitical tensions, such as Houthi attacks in Yemen, persist.

🛩 French air traffic controllers faced criticism following a near-miss incident on September 21 at Nice Airport involving EasyJet and Nouvel-Air flights. Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi condemned the controllers' "unacceptable" behavior and suggested military involvement in air traffic control. Ryanair reported that 10 million passengers experienced delays in January, a 66% increase from the previous year, blaming French air traffic control. An investigation into the incident is underway.

✈️ Lufthansa approaches its centenary in 2024. A special livery is planned for a Boeing 787-9, currently in Charleston, USA, set for delivery to the German airline in November 2023. Unlike the usual white, it will feature a dark blue design with Lufthansa's iconic crane logo, a symbol since 1918. This marks the aircraft's first paint job before entering service.

🏨 5th October, Hotel Santo Mauro, Madrid: Key figures aligned with President Sánchez, including Zapatero, Pumpido, and Blanco, convene. Zapatero, ex-president, has ties to China and Venezuela. Blanco leads influential lobby Acento. Pumpido heads the Tribunal Constitucional. The meeting highlights the ongoing influence and strategic discussions of these non-public officials within Spain's political landscape. Antonio Catalán, hotel owner, is noted for loyalty to controversial advisor of Maduro.

✈️ Binter, en invierno, expande su red de vuelos desde Tenerife y Gran Canaria, añadiendo nuevas rutas a Sevilla y Badajoz. Desde el 1 de diciembre, Badajoz y Tenerife tendrán dos vuelos semanales los lunes y viernes. Sevilla se integra con cinco frecuencias semanales y más de 44,000 asientos. Tenerife incrementa un 33% su oferta, con 412,000 plazas disponibles, reforzando conexiones a Asturias, Valencia, y Vigo. Binter utiliza aviones Embraer E195-E2, ofreciendo servicios premium.

🌎 Ávoris, led by Vicente Fenollar and Juan Carlos González, aims to boost international operations, targeting 50% of its EBITDA from foreign markets, up from 20%. They partnered with Force Nexus Consulting, founded by Javier Moreno, ex-VP of Disneyland Paris. In 2025, Ávoris expanded to Italy, Mexico, Colombia, France, and Costa Rica, enhancing its tourism footprint. Force Nexus will support Ávoris' global growth, focusing on strategic market expansion and partnerships.

📰 Ávoris, before year-end, Spain, launches new services: "Welcometransfers," "Welcomesims," and "Welcometrip"—a dynamic flight + hotel product. This expands on their existing offerings: Welcomebeds, Welcomefly, and Welcometickets. Welcomefly, launched last year, will exceed €100 million in revenue this year, growing from €5 million. Ávoris aims for €125-130 million by 2026. Endika Ormaeche leads this ambitious expansion within Ávoris's integrated travel value chain.