Jurídicos y Administrativos

✈️ Iberia and Air Europa launch a major discount campaign following their failed acquisition attempt, which was blocked by the European Commission. Air Europa’s “Time to Fly” offers flights starting at €12 within Spain, €29 to Europe, €179 to the USA, and €249 to the rest of the Americas, bookable until September 17, 2024, for travel until March 31, 2025, for short and intra-European flights, and until June 13, 2025, for long-haul. Iberia’s end-of-summer promotion includes Spanish city flights from €23, European capitals from €28, the USA from €184, Latin America from €242, and new Asian destinations like Doha and Tokyo from €358 and €366 respectively, valid for bookings until September 23, 2024, for travel until June 2025.

📖 Imserso's travel program for the 2024-2025 season offers affordable senior tourism for those over 65. Eligible pensioners can register online using DNI or NIE and a mobile phone number. Upon registration, a confirmation email with personal user code is sent, followed by a letter or email detailing travel options, destinations, dates, and prices. Reservations can be made through authorized travel agencies or Imserso's website. Early booking is advised due to limited availability.

✈ Spain's Consumer Affairs imposed a significant fine on Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling, and Volotea for what are deemed abusive commercial policies, including charging for hand luggage. Aviba president Pedro Fiol questions the fine's effectiveness and criticizes the lack of pricing transparency and standardized measures for passengers' benefits. He calls for European action to standardize regulations and protect consumers from dynamic pricing and excessive additional charges. Fiol highlights the need for regulatory uniformity across the European sector.

✈ TAP Air Portugal reported a strong second quarter in 2024, earning profits of €72 million, but their first-half gains amounted to just €0.4 million. Passenger numbers reached 7.7 million, with revenue nearly €2 million. Despite years of financial struggle, the airline is now in the process of being sold, showing improvement with increased liquidity and reduced debt under the new leadership of Luís Rodrigues. Rodrigues is focused on recovery, expanding into Brazil with a new destination, Florianópolis, and resuming flights to Caracas due to the significant Portuguese community. TAP serves a network of 10 airports in North America, 12 in Central and South America, 13 in Africa, and 39 in Europe.

📓 José Luis Ábalos, former Minister of Development, is embroiled in a tense situation involving the PSOE, his party. He holds internal government information which could implicate business groups if he speaks out. Globalia, owner of Air Europa, is among those on alert, potentially affected by any revelations. Ábalos has distanced himself from the Hidalgos, owners of Air Europa, foregoing a dinner with Hidalgo Sr. before the Begoña case erupted.

🔥 A YouTube user "Yehoshua spotting planes" captured the first major fire of Madrid on August 22 from an Air Europa plane after takeoff from Barajas. Originating in Tres Cantos, the fire is believed to have started from a cigarette butt thrown from a car. Over 500 hectares were ravaged by the blaze, which took Forest Brigades, Forest Agents, and Firefighters roughly two days to contain.

🚀 On August 22, EasyJet experienced an "unprecedented" security breach when passengers boarded a flight from Athens to Palma de Mallorca without proper travel documents. Three individuals were caught on the boarding platform and expelled immediately. Later, the cabin crew discovered a discrepancy in passenger count leading to police intervention and the arrest of two more individuals. A sixth person was detained during a full passenger disembarkation for further investigation. After over two hours of delay, passengers re-boarded, and the flight finally took off. Suspicions arise that these individuals might be part of a human trafficking network known at Athens airport, which has been under legal scrutiny for years.

🚀 Ryanair has appealed to the CNMC against Aena's decision to increase airport taxes in 2025, claiming it mocks the Spanish Government's 2021 decision to freeze these taxes. The low-cost carrier warns of investment cuts and reassignment of five aircraft to countries like Croatia, Italy, and Morocco due to previous "unjustified and excessive" rate hikes. Ryanair urges the CNMC to enforce the promised 2021 tax freeze and dismiss Aena's new increase, threatening to reduce its capacity in Spain if it's approved.

💥 A Boeing 737 of Ceiba Intercontinental skidded off the runway at Malabo International Airport, Equatorial Guinea, due to low visibility and wet runway conditions. The incident, captured on video by a passenger, was broadcasted by the country's Minister of Civil Aviation and Airport Infrastructures, Norberto Bartolomé Monsuy Mañe Andeme. Initial reports indicate a few non-critical injuries.

✈ Air Europa, due to fleet issues, has leased an A330-900Neo from Iberojet for five weekly flights between Madrid and New York from September 19 to October 31. This follows a previous rescue operation by Iberojet from April 14 to June 23 for daily Madrid-Havana flights. Air Europa also contracted Wamos Air for 13 round trips between Madrid and New York in May. Air Europa plans to expand its 26 Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet with three additional units amidst Boeing's delivery delays.