Jurídicos y Administrativos

🛡️ Spanish cybersecurity specialists Gabriela García and David Meléndez, at DEF CON 2024 in Las Vegas, revealed a serious security flaw in Spain's national railway ASFA system, in place since the 1970s, potentially enabling terrorist acts. The system's ease of communication manipulation between beacons and trains poses a significant risk. They urge an urgent update to prevent cyberattacks, referencing similar incidents in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. European Commission's ERTMS system is a proposed solution.

💸 Globalia, associated with the Hidalgo family, was granted a contract extension to manage travel services for Spain's central government, amidst allegations of favoritism linked to Javier Hidalgo's relationship with Begoña Gómez, the Spanish PM's wife. The contract for Expediente 54/17 lots 2 and 3 was extended twice: from April 6, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and January 1, 2021, to April 5, 2022. The original contract was worth €285.6 million, with Globalia's then subsidiary Halcón Viajes awarded lots 2 and 3 valued at €106 million. The remaining €179.6 million was split between Nautalia, IAG7, and Viajes El Corte Inglés. Current contracts, not involving Globalia, have been extended from April 22, 2024, to April 21, 2025.

✈ British citizen, 34, sentenced to eight months in prison for offenses causing the diversion of an Easyjet flight from Glasgow to Tenerife. Incident occurred on April 20; sentencing on July 18. The offender smoked in the lavatories, attempted to assault cabin crew, damaged the plane, and refused to stay seated, prompting an emergency landing in Bristol, England.

🏖️ Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner, confirmed the EU's new entry system start date for travelers: November 10, at the onset of the winter tourism season. The system, delayed in implementation, will replace passport stamping with digital border controls at every European airport, port, and land border. It applies to travelers from 60 visa-exempt countries who will use ETIAS, a digital document costing €7, valid for three years, and tracks entries and exits.

✈ CECU sent a letter to Spain's Transport and Sustainable Mobility Minister Óscar Puente and Rights and Consumption Minister Pablo Bustinduy, claiming airlines are infringing consumer rights by refusing to accept notifications and claims. Aesa, the aviation safety agency, declared inaction due to lack of regulatory breach. CECU's lawyer, Miguel Crespo, urges administrative intervention as courts dismiss cases without due compensation, leaving consumers doubly affected.

🛂 The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) will launch on November 10, affecting non-EU travelers such as the UK's primary tourism market to Spain. Hoteles Poseidón invests over €40M in a new 600-room resort in Benidorm, set to open in 2027 on a 12,000 sqm site. Castilla-La Mancha plans to start a new social tourism program for individuals over 55 by 2025, with a pilot in autumn.

🚀 Estados Unidos emitió una alerta mundial para 895 Boeing 787 tras un incidente con un avión de Latam el 11 de marzo, que cayó más de 100 metros y dejó 50 heridos. La FAA ordenó inspecciones urgentes en 30 días para detectar tapas de interruptores faltantes o rotas en los asientos de piloto. Air Europa posee 26 unidades del modelo afectado. De los aviones a revisar, 158 están en aerolíneas estadounidenses y 737 en otros países.

🚭 Madrid's health official, Fátima Matute, urged for increased surveillance at Barajas Airport following the detection of a severe Mpox strain in Sweden. Despite the EU Security Committee advising against border controls, citing low risk, Madrid insists on precautions. Spain has a stockpile of 500,000 vaccines with options for more through the EU.

💸 Air Europa's rescue by the Spanish Government, involving €950 million requested by Globalia, is under scrutiny. Following a meeting on June 24 between Begoña Gómez and Javier Hidalgo, the SEPI signed a confidentiality pact within days, leading to a €475 million injection on November 3, 2020, split into two loans. Additional funds included €320 million to Globalia and Barceló in March 2021 and a public sector travel contract increased from €106 million to €215 million, avoiding European Commission oversight.

🔒 Online travel agency Destinia is set to file a lawsuit against Booking.com in September at the Commercial Court, accusing the competitor of illegitimate use of its trademark. Destinia alleges this infringement has occurred in 20 countries, leading to a theft of up to 20% of its traffic, as confirmed by CEO Ricardo Fernández Flores. The claim is backed by notarial deeds from each market where the violation was detected, based on Law 17/2001 governing trademarks. Booking.com is accused of using Destinia's brand to mislead consumers, which the agency sees as unfair competition potentially harming its credibility. The lawsuit aims for cessation of these practices rather than compensation, even though the losses are quantifiable.