Jurídicos y Administrativos

🇪🇸 José Luis Ábalos, former Minister of Transport, denies discussing with Globalia's ex-CEO Javier Hidalgo during the mask transportation process in the pandemic. He admits speaking with Air Europa, which provided planes at a loss, but does not specify with whom. Ábalos refutes claims about Nicolas Maduro's deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, landing in Barajas with 40 suitcases, dismissing it as a typical falsehood. He clarifies that Rodríguez's visit is unrelated to Venezuela's alleged 100 million debt to Air Europa despite EU sanctions. He also mentions the legal protection of airport tapes, feels sidelined by Pedro Sánchez's government, and expresses a desire to return to Latin America.

🚀 EASA advises airlines to halt operations due to notable risks in the region. Incident on Saturday involved QFZ9964, a Qasem Air cargo flight from Iran, which was ordered by Israeli forces to abort landing at Beirut airport due to a suspected military shipment. Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamieh confirmed the interference with airport communications, with the aircraft returning to Tehran. Beirut's Rafic Hariri Airport is located near areas frequently targeted by Israeli air strikes but has not been attacked.

🌊 In the Balearic Islands, the government is considering legal ways to exempt residents from paying the ecotax when staying at local hotels, despite EU treaties requiring equality among citizens. Discussions are at an early stage, with a tax deduction proposal for residents on their income tax but not to be included in next year's budget. The measure might be implemented in the 2026 budget, aligning with President Marga Prohens' electoral commitment. Simultaneously, there's debate on increasing the ecotax to manage tourist overcrowding, particularly during high season, but no consensus has been reached within the Partido Popular (PP).

✈️ Argentina's Aerolíneas Argentinas, controlled by the peronist party, may be privatized as it has accumulated losses of $6.54 billion since 2008, averaging $400 million annually. The worst financial years saw losses over $600 million, while the best (under Macri's presidency) recorded $150 million. The airline loses $34 million monthly and $1.135 million daily. No candidates are currently interested in buying the heavily unionized and politically connected company. Meanwhile, Argentina debates the airline's fate amidst 8 million citizens living in indigence.

📌 Marlaska's proposed tourist sector regulation, originally set for implementation on October 1, has been postponed to December 2. The regulation would require sensitive data collection such as payment methods, credit card numbers, mobile phones, and addresses, which goes beyond the current requirement of ID documents. The sector warns it's "impossible to comply" with and risks chaos. Business organizations criticize the government's disregard for EU data protection laws, while major European tourism lobbies oppose the decree, suggesting it could deter tourists and increase vacation costs.

🐶 Barcelona and Madrid are top Spanish cities for traveling with dogs, ranking 15th and 52nd respectively in Compare The Market's international list. Barcelona boasts about 220 areas for dogs, including "pipicans" and 45 larger dog parks. The list of top 30 global cities for dog-friendly travel features U.S. cities like San Francisco and Austin in the top spots, with European cities such as Lisbon and Florence also highlighted. Traveling with dogs requires prior planning to ensure both pets and owners enjoy the trip.

🏖️ Baleares has imposed an "ecotax" on tourists for over 20 years without deterring visitors, even after doubling the tax. Mallorca requests to use €56 million of the annual €200+ million ecotax revenue for local projects. Researchers Juana María Alonso and Moisés Navarro from ULPGC state taxes do not prevent tourism, echoing the sentiment of hoteliers in regions like the Canary Islands.

🏖️ Imserso started selling 886,269 places for the 2024-2025 season on September 23, offering trips to coastal, island, and inland destinations. The program includes 203 hotels, a 5% increase over last season's 192. Reservations are advised before October 1 due to a new traveler data registry (Real Decreto 933/2021). A new Imserso contest is set for 2025. China's CDB leased 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, with deliveries from 2028 to 2031. Norwegian opened 10 new routes to Spain, expanding its offer by 20%. The traveler data registry's start date was postponed until December 2. The Camino de Santiago is pushing a regenerative tourism model. Hybrid accommodation models are emerging for resilience and growth. Iberia is launching a new snow tourism destination to Innsbruck with 11,500 seats. Hotels compete with tourist homes by offering sophisticated experiences.

✈️ La Unión Sindical de Controladores Aéreos (USCA) acusa a Ryanair de comprometer la seguridad aérea por presionar a controladores, especialmente el 15 de agosto durante el paso de la DANA. USCA pide al Ministerio de Transportes y AESA medidas contra estas presiones. Antecedentes incluyen incidentes en 2010 y 2012 con Ryanair por combustible inadecuado, según la CIAIAC. Controladores exigen vigilancia y sanciones para evitar repetición de estas prácticas.

📜 Javier Hidalgo, former CEO of Globalia, is implicated in new emails from the Koldo case, which cast doubt on his denial of knowing Koldo García, leader of a corrupt network within the Ministry of Transport. The emails, including one dated July 2020 about a "Meeting in Ibiza," suggest a close relationship and potential collusion between the Ministry and Air Europa. Other emails from January 2020 show Hidalgo as a facilitator of business promotions, further indicating his acquaintance with García. A planned trip to Georgia, canceled due to the pandemic, also listed García, Ábalos, and Hidalgo as guests, pointing to deeper ties.