Jurídicos y Administrativos

👨 Pedro Fiol, president of Aviba (Baleares) and vice-president of CEAV, warns that the requirement to submit "numerous data" to the Ministry of Interior for each booking may lead travel agencies to stop selling Imserso's senior travel program. Agencies earn just €14.50 in commission per package, far below the average €80-€100. About 90% of retirees use agencies for vacation bookings, with Baleares agencies handling an average of 12,000 spots per season.

🛫 In February 2023, Ryanair was ordered by the Court of First Instance No. 6 in Cádiz to refund €116 for extra hand luggage charges to a passenger. The passenger, advised by Ryanair, paid €71.98 for hand luggage on a Sevilla to Vitoria flight and another €44 for checked luggage on the return. Consumer organization Facua, after an unaddressed complaint to Ryanair, filed a lawsuit demanding the return of €115.98. The court ruled the luggage was within cabin limits, making the fee unjustified. This follows government fines totaling €179 million on airlines, with Ryanair paying €107.8 million, for similar irregularities.

🚧 On December 2, the website set up by Spain's Ministry of Interior for travel agencies, accommodations, and vehicle rental companies to enter client data crashed on its first day of operation. The platform faced continuous outages, preventing industry professionals from filling out required information. The tourism industry, which had already expressed unanimous rejection of the regulation, plans to challenge this 'Marlaska rule' through legal action.

🛈 As of December 2, Spain's Ministry of Interior's new traveler data registry, mandated by Royal Decree 933/2021, is effective, requiring tourism businesses to collect and share over 50 personal data points per reservation. Non-compliance may result in fines up to €600. Meliá Hotels International, with 92,502 rooms, tops the Hosteltur 2024 Ranking of Spanish hotel chains globally, which operate 3,590 hotels and over 690,000 rooms, with a 40% presence outside Spain. TUI Spain, Portugal & Americas, under Andrea Pfeiffer since October, grew 34% in 2023 and expects continued expansion into Latin America.

📃 Desde el 2 de diciembre de 2024, el Real Decreto 933/2021 impone en España nuevos requisitos para registrar viajeros en alojamientos turísticos y otras entidades, generando rechazo y acciones legales de la Confederación Española de Hoteles y Alojamientos Turísticos (CEHAT). El decreto, que amenaza el 12% del PIB español representado por el sector, exige la recopilación de datos personales y de estancia, con sanciones de 100 a 600 euros por infracciones leves y de 601 a 30,000 euros por infracciones graves. La CEHAT critica la falta de diálogo gubernamental y la incompatibilidad con normativas europeas en protección de datos y sistemas de pago.

🛈 Spain's Ministry of Interior's new traveler data registry, implemented via Real Decreto 933/2021, came into effect on December 2, after several delays. The registry requires more than 50 personal data points from travelers in sectors such as lodging, car rental, and travel agencies. Concerns include privacy, increased bureaucratic workload, and potential cybersecurity risks. Non-compliance after December 2 will result in penalties. Critics argue the system imposes administrative and technological challenges, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.

✈ An Airbus A340-600 previously operated by Virgin Airways was bought by Nigeria's Azman Air. It flew normally until it unexpectedly landed in Tehran, Iran, and never flew again. The aircraft, with registration 5N-AAM, was acquired in 2020 and modified to carry 413 passengers. After being grounded in August at Kano airport, it resumed flying on November 15 with its transponder off. Iran has a history of diverting such planes for its internal needs, despite international aviation blockades, due to its oil production facilitating higher fuel consumption.

✈️ On May 22, 2020, during the pandemic, an Airbus A320 crashed in Karachi center, claiming 98 lives. A scandal surfaced when it was revealed that numerous licensed pilots had acquired their credentials through bribes. By June 2020, EASA blacklisted Pakistan International Airlines over safety concerns. In four years, 262 out of 860 Pakistani pilots had fake licenses, including 141 of Pakistan International's 434 pilots. Europe has now reinstated flight permissions for the airline, significant for its UK flights.

📌 The Spanish Government's 'Big Brother' project led by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has raised concerns within ECTAA, the European travel agencies and tour operators association. The proposed regulations would require tourists to provide up to 40 data points for accommodations and 60 for car rentals, which could infringe on Data Protection laws. European operators fear the responsibility of safeguarding such sensitive customer information, which includes credit card details and travel habits. This unprecedented move in the EU could expose citizens to risks of misuse in the event of a cyberattack.

💸 Javier Hidalgo, former CEO of Globalia-Air Europa, appeared before the Senate commission to discuss the 'caso Koldo', denying favored treatment in the receipt of a loan for Air Europa. He refuted meetings with Spanish President Pedro Sánchez and Begoña Gómez, affirmed the loan was reviewed by top auditors and required Globalia's personal guarantees, which is unusual for companies. Hidalgo emphasized the company's struggles and denied any favorable treatment despite challenges faced and thousands of employees.