Jurídicos y Administrativos

🏩 Travel agencies affected by FTI Group's insolvency received relief when an analysis by Ansgar Staudinger, a law professor at Bielefeld University, concluded agencies are not required to return commissions already paid. FTI Group filed for insolvency on June 1st. Agencies earned commissions by successfully arranging trips, even those booked just before insolvency proceedings. The report ensures financial security for the agencies, preventing further repercussions from FTI Group's financial woes.

🚩 In anticipation of the Olympic Games in France, intentional fires at SNCF railway facilities aimed to disrupt high-speed connectivity in Paris. The operator reported simultaneous malicious acts affecting LGV Atlantique, Nord & Est lines, causing significant train diversions and cancellations. Teams are working to repair the damaged signalling stations. Travellers affected will be contacted and advised to postpone journeys; all tickets are exchangeable and refundable.

📈 On July 26, 2024, the management of labor time recording faced new challenges with trends like remote and hybrid work making oversight complex. The shift from analog to digital timekeeping is spurred by inefficiencies and fraud risks inherent in paper-based systems. Legislative reforms are anticipated to mandate digital time tracking accessible to labor inspectors. Initially introduced by the 2019 Labor Time Recording Law, digital recording is becoming essential for accurate payroll and regulatory compliance, with an impending legislative reform likely to outlaw paper records and reduce the workweek to 37.5 hours. Employers are recognizing the advantages of digital timekeeping software over traditional methods due to better security and fraud prevention.

📌 In a recent interview with Preferente, Carlos Garrido, President of CEAV, highlighted the growth in travel agency sector with a 27% increase in 2023 and employment surpassing 70,000 workers. The sector is seeing a shift from last-minute bookings to more advanced reservations, offering benefits to both customers and agencies. Concerns were raised about the Real Decreto 933/2021, set to launch on October 1, 2024, potentially impacting agencies. CEAV seeks to exclude travel agencies from this decree and is in talks with various entities to address challenges. They also reached an agreement with IATA to be effective from January 1, 2025, though it still requires PAConf approval. CEAV remains committed to unifying the sector and foresees a positive summer season for 2024 due to strong early sales.

🛫 Ryanair won a legal battle in Berlin courts against the Spanish online agency Edreams for applying excessive prices to its ticket resales and misleading customers with claims of charge-free date changes, which only apply to Edreams' fees, not Ryanair's. Ryanair, referring to Edreams as a "pirate agency," demands Edreams align with agreements set with other online travel agencies and stop overcharging customers. The court deemed a commission of less than four euros excessive, as reported by Ryanair.

🏖 El Tribunal Constitucional de España ha admitido a trámite un recurso del Gobierno autonómico canario para evitar la demolición del Hotel Oliva Beach, en Fuerteventura. El recurso surge en respuesta a la decisión del Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica, que alega que las concesiones sobre dominio público marítimo-terrestre son de competencia estatal y no autonómica. La cadena Riu, que posee el hotel, enfrenta la posible demolición tras la negativa estatal a las concesiones "compensatorias".

💰 Bernardo Quetglas, president of Sidetours, took immediate action after FTI Touristik's insolvency announcement on June 3, focusing on solutions for affected clients and over 400 hotel companies. Despite unexpected insolvency following an American fund's entry, Quetglas emphasizes Sidetours' commitment to rebuilding business trust and volume lost by FTI. The response differed from Thomas Cook's fall in September 2019, with proactive management and transparent communication. Sidetours operates throughout Spain (except Canary Islands) and Portugal.

🛫 Emirates' A380 collided with a boarding bridge at Charles de Gaulle Airport in France last Monday, causing damage to the engine cover. Consequently, the aircraft was temporarily withdrawn for inspection, and the Dubai-bound flight was cancelled. Possible reasons for the incident include incorrect bridge positioning or signals during parking, unsuitable parking assignment, or pilot error. The event was reported on July 22, 2024, by @aviacionbrk and commented by aviation expert @GaboAir.

🚩 In Palma, Spain, a protest against tourist overcrowding drew 20,000 people, highlighting vacation rentals, both legal and illegal, as the main cause. The Hoteliers Association of Playa de Palma (AHPP) criticized the involvement of former Balearic government officials in the protest, noting their past political responsibility during an increase in overcrowding. AHPP President Pedro Marín called for effective measures against illegal vacation rentals to protect housing markets and tourism quality.

💸 The Spanish National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) is set to finalize a €486 million fine against Booking for "restrictive competition practices." The announcement is expected this week after a period of analysis, confirming the OTA's abuse of dominant position impacting hotels and competing online agencies. The decision stands despite a hearing in May. Booking plans to appeal, calling the sanction "completely disproportionate." CNMC initiated the proceedings in October 2022 for potential violations of Law 15/2007 and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.