Jurídicos y Administrativos

✈ Aena appealed to the National Court on January 29 against CNMC's decision to keep airport charges frozen at €10.35 per passenger for 2025. Aena's appeal seeks a 0.54% increase to set charges at €10.40 per passenger, expecting to boost annual revenue by €16 million. This is based on an anticipated 320 million passengers for 2025 in Spain. CNMC rejected the initial proposal in December due to regulatory norms of freezing charges until 2026 despite Aena's argument for reflecting over €450 million annual infrastructure investments. Summary: Aena took to court on January 29 to challenge CNMC's freeze on 2025 airport fees at €10.35, pushing for a 0.54% hike to €10.40 per passenger. If successful, Aena could see an annual revenue increase of €16 million, with estimations of 320 million passengers in Spain for 2025. This comes despite a 2024 increase of over four percentage points and amid criticisms from airlines like Ryanair about the negative impact on competitiveness.

🏩 Jerez Airport recovers connectivity after Ryanair's cut of 800,000 seats in regional Spain. Vueling and Volotea respond with new routes and frequencies. Vueling increases Jerez-Barcelona to 10 weekly flights; 4 weekly to Palma de Mallorca. Volotea starts Jerez-Asturias route, 118 flights, over 18,400 seats until the end of October. Volotea's first Jerez flight occurred, regular service from April 11 with 2 weekly frequencies, rising in July-August. Ryanair's cuts represent an 18% capacity reduction, with 12 routes removed.

✈ The EU is considering modifying flight delay compensation regulations, potentially increasing the delay threshold for eligibility from 3 hours to 5, 9, or 12 hours, based on flight distance. Airhelp CEO Tomasz Pawliszyn warns this change could prioritize airline profits over consumer welfare and disrupt CO2 emissions reduction efforts. The proposal, originating in 2013, is gaining serious attention since late last year, with over 80% of delayed flights potentially falling outside the compensation criteria.

💰 The Baleares government, led by Marga Prohens, faces political deadlock over increasing the ecotax during high season, opposed by main partner Vox and other opposition. Vox refuses tax hikes affecting tourists and residents, yet open to discussing visitor regulation alternatives. Més per Mallorca demands ITS doubling year-round, while PSOE criticizes the government's negotiation willingness. Prohens' plan involves ecotax hikes between June-August, reductions from December-February, and exemptions for residents. Increases would range from €0.30 to €1.2 per night, with 5-star accommodations potentially rising from €4 to €5.2 or €5.5, and budget accommodations from €1 to €1.3 per night.

🏨 Major hotel chains are forming their own association in the Canary Islands, challenging existing hotelier guilds like Ashotel. The unnamed new business group will include Iberostar, Meliá, Riu, H10, Barceló, Piñero, and Hyatt, which together have 114 hotels in the archipelago. Barceló leads with 28 hotels, followed by Meliá and H10 with 20 each, Hyatt with 19, Riu with 16, and Iberostar with 11. The initiative, focusing initially on Tenerife, aims to represent the industry's interests in key negotiations.

🏠 Barcelona's City Council, led by Jaume Collboni, partners with the College of Property Administrators and the Urban Property Chamber to advise communities on preventing tourist apartments from being set up in their buildings. This initiative, stemming from the latest city budget agreements with the ERC municipal group, aims to amend community statutes, restricting new economic activities that may negatively impact cohabitation. Barcelona will not grant further tourist licenses to residential properties and will not renew existing ones. By 2029, the current 10,101 tourist apartments will lose their status. A communication campaign and a grant call by IMVB for statute drafting are part of the measures.

✈️ AerCap, an Irish aircraft leasing company with 1,676 planes, is the world's largest passenger airplane owner as of 2025. Founded in 2006 by Tony Ryan, AerCap grew significantly after acquiring ILFC in 2014 and GE Capital Aviation Services during the pandemic. Their fleet includes 278 twin-aisle aircraft and numerous Embraer models. The second-largest lessor owns 761 planes, and the third owns 583, with subsequent firms based outside of Europe. Ireland's favorable tax regime is beneficial to these leasing companies.

🛫 The union ASAE criticized the Madrid government delegation for ignoring the humanitarian disaster at Madrid's Barajas Airport, where about 500 homeless individuals have taken residence due to authorities' inaction. Employees often don't report crimes due to fear, and passengers, unless seriously harmed, don't report due to haste. The union questions when police will address the issue, referencing a recent eviction of approximately 200 homeless people at El Prat Airport before the Mobile World Congress.

🚀 Following a fire incident on an Air Busan flight in Hong Kong in January, Taiwan's four airlines—China Airlines, Eva Air, Starlux, and Tigerair—ban the use of external batteries or power banks. Starting March 1, these devices are prohibited; however, Tigerair and Starlux only restrict their use, not transport. Passengers are advised to charge devices beforehand and pack batteries properly to prevent accidents. This measure applies to the mentioned airlines on all routes, not to other airlines flying to Taiwan.

🗽 The government of Baleares will increase the ecotax during high season, with hikes ranging from €0.30 to €1.2 per night based on accommodation type. Five-star establishments will see the tax rise from €4 to €5.2 or possibly €5.5 per night, while budget accommodations like hostels will increase from €1 to €1.3 per night. The higher rates apply from June to August, with reductions in winter (December to February) and no changes during other months. The measure, seeking legal exemption for Baleares residents, awaits support from either Més or Vox for passage as the Partido Popular lacks a majority. Hoteliers oppose the increase, anticipating backlash at the upcoming ITB Berlin fair, yet President Marga Prohens views it as a strategy to manage tourist influx and combat overcrowding.