Jurídicos y Administrativos

✈ Tripulación de cabina de SAS en Noruega inició huelga este viernes tras fracasar negociaciones salariales. Al principio, 120 empleados se unieron, con posibles 800 adicionales la próxima semana que podrían provocar cancelaciones masivas de vuelos. SAS limitó la afectación el viernes y sigue en proceso de reestructuración. Unos 770 empleados podrían estar en huelga el 30 de agosto, si no hay solución. Detalles de demandas sindicales son confidenciales, pero salarios son hasta 30% inferiores a los de Norwegian. En 2022, una huelga de pilotos de SAS canceló 3.700 vuelos. SAS está en protección por bancarrota en EE. UU. desde una huelga anterior.

✈ On August 15, a Wizz Air flight from Rome to Madeira couldn't land in Funchal due to strong winds and diverted to Faro, Portugal. Stranded passengers, including over 215 travelers waiting in Madeira for the return flight to Rome, received no assistance or contact from the airline for three days. Italian authorities intervened, and a flight was sent after three days. Wizz Air, blamed the weather and ensured passenger safety, faced pressure from the Italian Foreign Ministry and consumer organizations criticized the lack of communication and assistance.

🔔 In Bucheon, South Korea, 20 km from Seoul, a hotel fire resulted in 7 deaths and 3 critically injured due to smoke inhalation. The incident, originating from the 8th floor of a 9-story building, is under police investigation for potential negligence, as the hotel may have lacked mandatory fire safety systems.

💰 Alcalde Francisco de la Torre proposes a per-overnight tax on tourist apartments in Málaga to combat rental market issues and support social housing, potentially raising millions for municipal funds. Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu emphasizes local responsibility over statewide measures, citing Barcelona's example, and addresses turismophobia, noting a "fully normal" summer season despite concerns.

📌 The EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) will start on November 10, 2024, replacing passport stamping with electronic registration of entries and exits for non-EU/Schengen visitors. It applies to short stays up to 90 days within 180 days, excluding Irish passport holders and UK residents with EU residency. Data will be stored for three years or five years for overstayers and can be accessed by border and police authorities. Concerns are raised about potential passenger traffic delays.

💰 On August 8, the German DRSF fund began refunding over 215,000 canceled tour packages from FTI Group, impacting the upcoming travel plans of German tour operators and Spanish tourism. CEO Sebastian Ebel of TUI anticipates attracting FTI's former clients during September and October. The DRSF, established after Thomas Cook's collapse in 2019, requires travelers to provide payment proof and a security certificate for a swift refund process, which is expected to extend into September. Refunds are said to reach three-digit million figures.

🦠 Ministerio de Sanidad, Spain, decided not to vaccinate 100% of travelers to countries with Mpox cases. Mpox, first identified in humans in 1970, was declared a global health emergency by WHO on August 14. Public Health Commission of Spain met on August 21 to strengthen detection and control measures. High-risk groups will continue to receive vaccinations. Spain has a sufficient stockpile of vaccines. In the last Mpox outbreak in 2022, Spain confirmed 8,104 cases.

🛡️ 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.