Jurídicos y Administrativos

📌 Spanish hoteliers warn of the impending introduction of Marlaska's 'Big Brother' tourism regulation, set to take effect on December 2, which they fear will disadvantage Spain against destinations valuing privacy and administrative simplicity. CEHAT's president, Jorge Marichal, criticizes the regulation for tripling the data requirements, potentially deterring tourists due to intrusive administrative processes and compromising Spain's reputation. Up to 31 data points must be collected, with potential fines up to €30,000 for non-compliance, adding pressure to hoteliers' daily operations. Marichal urges the government to reconsider the measure to protect Spain's tourism economy and maintain its global reputation as a leading destination.

✈ Ryanair, through Malta Air, closed its base at Bordeaux Airport months ago, citing high airport costs. The company left without following proper procedures, affecting its staff—transferring some to other bases and laying off others, including 14 who refused relocation. A court found Ryanair (Malta Air) guilty of not adhering to collective dismissal procedures for its layoffs. Consequently, Ryanair must now initiate a collective dismissal as per the legal requirements. Post-exit, Transavia, Air France's low-cost subsidiary, opened a base and launched seven routes from Bordeaux Airport.

🌍 Major Spanish travel groups, including Viajes El Corte Inglés, Ávoris, and World2Meet (W2M), are bolstering their wholesale divisions to reduce reliance on third-party tour operators and enhance their offerings both for their own and independent agencies. Tourmundial (2018) and Club de Vacaciones (2015) have seen significant growth in sales and offerings. W2M's recent Cibeles brand targets seniors, aiming to be a key supplier for independent travel agencies without mass store openings, while Ávoris launched Ávoris Store to prevent sales leakage to competitors, comprising multiple brands like Travelplan, Jolidey, and Welcomebeds. This trend challenges independent tour operators, already facing margin pressures and a crowded senior tourism market.

💸 Pedro Saura, current president of Correos and former Secretary of State for Transport, avoided explanations about the contract with Iberojet for Correos Cargo, costing Correos €9 million to adapt an A330 for cargo. The contract, signed for Madrid-Hong Kong operations and announced in January 2022, ended in January 2023 after operational issues, costing the public entity significantly. Correos faced €1,000 daily costs for a parked plane at Barajas Airport and post-closure, Ávoris demanded €38 million from Correos for operational expenses.

💸 On November 20, 2024, Zucchetti Spain highlighted the essential role of self-invoicing for certain commercial situations. Self-invoices allow buyers to issue fiscal documents instead of sellers, taking on VAT declaration responsibilities. Common in intracommunity operations or transactions with specific suppliers, self-invoicing requires informing the tax agency and the seller. Distinct from traditional invoices, the buyer assumes fiscal duties and must include different serial numbers for the self-invoice. Proper self-invoicing entails identifying the necessity, adding relevant serial numbers and data, indicating "billing by recipient," and sending the document to the seller. Essential details must be included, such as both parties' tax data, transaction description, taxable base, VAT rate, and total VAT, if applicable. Zucchetti Spain advocates for software like Solmicro ERP to manage and automate the invoice process, ensuring fiscal compliance and financial planning.

🎮 Air Europa sponsored CD Estepona with €240,000 yearly in summer 2022, extending the €480,000 deal from two to four years. In April 2023, Ávoris, which acquired Halcón Viajes previously owned by Air Europa's owners, charged another €121,000, totaling €600,000 for CD Estepona. Barceló, co-president of the group and recipient of a €320 million rescue, discovered an unsigned sponsorship contract, returning the invoice as no agreement was negotiated. CD Estepona failed to reach Primera RFEF, despite plans for a luxury estate by Hidalgo spanning 2.2 million square meters.

🛫 Booking.com, a popular travel search engine, continues illegitimate use of the Destinia brand three months after Destinia announced a pending civil lawsuit alleging customer theft. CEO Ricardo Fernández of the Spanish online agency confirms the lawsuit will be filed in the coming days or weeks, with resolution expected before year's end. Booking ceased these practices only on Google searches in Spain, still affecting other markets and search engines. Booking's actions could divert up to 20% of Destinia's direct traffic.

✈️ British Airways, owned by IAG, faced a computer failure causing massive disruptions with flight cancellations and delays. Thousands of travelers were affected, with issues starting at 17:00 British time, impacting routes to Larnaca, Vienna, Vancouver, Dusseldorf, and domestic flights. The company's website and app were down, displaying a high-demand message. Between 18:00-21:00, almost all flights were delayed except for one to Rome; the flight to Singapore was one hour late, while one from Johannesburg arrived two hours behind schedule. The airline acknowledged the technical issue and continued operations with delays.

💸 Spirit Airlines has filed for bankruptcy but continues offering services while negotiating debt solutions. The airline, one of the top three low-cost carriers in the U.S., could not recover from the Covid crisis, suffered from a failed merger with Frontier, and faced competition blockage against a JetBlue offer. Customers are unaffected by the bankruptcy, while creditors negotiate debt terms. Spirit plans to reduce flights by 20% and sell some aircraft, with its largest hub in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, followed by Orlando.

✈ In 2025, Lviv (Leópolis) will be the first city in Ukraine to resume normal commercial flights, following negotiations with European aviation authorities and major insurers. Insurers agree to reopening if deemed safe by regulators. Lviv's airport, near the Polish border, features two terminals and handles up to 3,000 travelers per hour. Ukrainian President Zelensky supports the riskier reopening of Kiev's Boryspil Airport first.