Fusiones y Adquisiciones

✈ IndiGo, an airline from India, is on the verge of purchasing 500 A320 aircraft, while Air India is following suit. Airbus has committed to partially manufacturing its planes in India, a country demanding both large and regional aircraft due to its booming aviation market and improving quality of life. Brazilian group Embraer expressed willingness to establish a factory in India, contrasting with Boeing which currently focuses on internal issues rather than expanding sales. With strained India-China relations, China's C919 is unlikely to see significant sales in India.

📍 Viajes El Corte Inglés experienced growth despite the pandemic, expanding from 637 agencies in 2019 to 721 by the end of 2023. Directed by Santiago Bau, Miguel Moyá, and formerly Jorge Schoenengerber, the company increased by 84 sales points in five years. In the Americas, the number of offices rose from 121 to 162 across eight countries, with Mexico hosting 106, followed by Chile and Colombia with 19 and 17, respectively. In Spain, there was a 9% increase to 540 locations, despite a drop of 12 from 2022. The group also operates in Portugal with 19 offices, totaling a presence in 11 American countries, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, through 1,844 associate networks.

😱 On an Easyjet flight from Corfu, Greece to London, 181 passengers experienced severe turbulence, dropping the plane about 200 meters shortly after departure and approaching Italian coasts. The incident occurred on Monday, 19th, and resulted in two crew members being injured, with one suffering a leg fracture. The aircraft was flying at just under 500 mph and was diverted to Fiumicino Airport in Rome for assistance. Passengers were delayed for six hours before being rescued by another plane. An investigation by the Italian aviation safety agency is underway.

🏖️ Imserso's cultural trips for the 2024-2025 season will cover all of Spain, starting sales in September and trips in October. The 37th America's Cup in Barcelona, from August 22 to late October, will feature 23 five-star Grand Luxury hotels with 3,676 rooms. Hyatt Hotels is set to acquire Standard International for $150 million, potentially adding another $185 million as more hotels join, quintupling its lifestyle room count since 2017.

✈ Wizz Air and Tui offer the least seat space with 71.12 cm (28 inches), applying to their entire fleet excluding emergency exits. EasyJet's entire fleet, some KLM and Vueling planes, provide 73.66 cm (29 inches) of seat space. Ryanair, some British Airways and Lufthansa planes allow for 76.2 cm (30 inches). Aer Lingus leads with a minimum of 78.74 cm (31 inches). This data comes from a study by consumer magazine Which.

✈ Volotea, led by Carlos Muñoz, experienced a 16.3% decrease in passengers from January to July, down to 4.1 million from nearly 5 million in the same period of 2023. Despite a historic high of 8.6 million passengers in 2023, an 8.8% increase from 2022, and a 58% growth from 2021, the Spanish airline faces challenges after failing to acquire slots from Air Europa. Now, Volotea shifts focus to expansion in the French and Italian markets.

🍴 Vilanova de Arousa, Pontevedra hosted the 30th Fiesta del Mejillón y el Berberecho, achieving 100% hotel occupancy and full restaurants. Originating in 1994 to valorize local seafood, the event now spans four days with gastronomic tents, live music, a fair, a maritime procession, and awarding cultural figures with Insignias de Oro y Brillantes. Sea-related activities contribute to half of the town's GDP.

🚂 SNCF noted a 43% drop in Paris-Lyon route prices since 2019 due to Trenitalia's entry. Renfe, operating Marsella-Madrid and Lyon-Barcelona, saw a 67% price fall on the former since 2022, with sales up 263%. On Lyon-Barcelona, prices decreased by 17%, and travelers increased by 140%. The market anticipates Le Train's entry, signaling more competition, especially in local French services where SNCF dominates.

📍 Qatar Airways reversed its decision to retire the A380 fleet, planning to utilize it at least until 2028, contingent on strong demand and full seat occupancy. The decision follows the traffic recovery post-Covid. The airline will upgrade the A380s with high-speed free wifi and possibly revamp its business class. Initially deemed a "big mistake" by former CEO Akbar Al Baker in Summer 2022 due to high operational costs and spare parts issues, the current CEO, Badr Mohammed Al Meer, has opted for extensions and modifications to the fleet.

✈ Air France KLM eyes Air Europa following the European Commission's "no" to the Iberia-Air Europa merger over competition issues. The potential integration would bolster Franco-Dutch connections with Latin America from Paris and Amsterdam. Political pressures from Germany and France reportedly influenced the Commission's decision, contrasting with the approval of Lufthansa-ITA. Meanwhile, Air Europa assures its profitability and future solvency independently, with a business plan backed by positive economic results.