Jurídicos y Administrativos

🛫 In late 2019, Eiffage acquired 49.9% of Toulouse's Blagnac airport from Chinese group Casil, becoming the concession holder until 2046. The airport had 9.8 million passengers in 2018. Eiffage is now suing the French state due to a business downturn, with passenger numbers dropping over 18% to 7.8 million in 2024 after Easyjet and Ryanair left. A new solidarity tax on air traffic and a 23% reduction in night flights due to pollution have been introduced. Other French airports are suffering too, with Lyon losing 10.9% of travelers and Bordeaux 14.4%, while Beauvais has grown by 64% over the past five years.

✈ Los pilotos sufren impactos económicos y de formación debido a la crisis de suministros en la industria aeronáutica, advierte Sepla. ING reporta que la demanda post-pandemia supera la capacidad de producción de aviones y piezas, afectada por la escasez de microchips y problemas logísticos. La reducción de horas y cancelaciones de vuelo provocan estrés y amenazan la seguridad operacional. Se insta a inversiones en simulación y colaboración entre aerolíneas para mantener competencias de pilotos.

🛩 TAP, a Portuguese airline, faced a legal setback as the Supreme Court of Lisbon ruled that workers on fixed-term contracts should receive the same pay as permanent employees. The ruling could cost TAP between 200 and 300 million euros, far exceeding the initially anticipated worst-case scenario of 37 million euros. This decision directly affects four litigant workers but may inspire similar claims from others. The ruling also potentially benefits some of the 1514 employees who departed the company during the pandemic.

💸 A Spanish café went viral for charging a customer an extra fee for electricity and Wi-Fi usage after spending hours with just a coffee. The customer was billed €2.20 for a coffee with milk, €1.50 for extra milk, and €5 for "light and Wi-Fi service," totaling €8.70. The incident, shared by @soycamarero, sparked debate over the legality and fairness of such charges.

💼 Iván Méndez, manager of the Unión de Agencias de Viajes (UNAV), defends regional “Imserso” programs citing their economic benefits during low activity periods in tourism and high recognition. He addresses challenges from battling the application of Royal Decree 933/2021 to hiring skilled workers, maintaining optimism for 2025. He notes the growth in travel demand but warns of profitability issues due to increased costs. Méndez also mentions the struggle for better conditions for travel programs and highlights UNAV's focus on training, providing over 2,000 monthly training hours in 2024. Despite challenges, he remains confident about the industry's prospects in 2025, with an expectation of good performance, though not necessarily matching the excellent figures of the previous two years.

✈ Vueling, IAG's low-cost airline, announces improvements for travel agency intermediation via NDC. The carrier is aligning NDC fares (Fly Light, Fly, Fly Grande) with its agency website offerings and has cut the NDC booking fee by half. They are also optimizing and unifying service fee bonus processes across indirect channels, including NDC, agency web, group web, and GDS. A new free agency support number, 931 220 220, has been launched.

🛫 Portugal's political crisis led to Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's resignation and suspension of TAP Air Portugal's privatization process, initially set for this month. The interim government, with limited powers, couldn't formalize the sale, possibly delaying it by 6-12 months. Parpública managed the sale with Bank of America and Morais Leitão as advisors. Potential buyers include IAG, Lufthansa, and Air France-KLM. Final decisions await the new administration post-elections, likely in May.

🏖 Viajes Marsans, a brand known for its presence in the Spanish tourism market, is allegedly returning after nearly 15 years since its bankruptcy. A statement claims they're embarking on a new phase emphasizing digitalization and innovation. Skepticism arises as industry experts suggest the relaunch could be a scam, citing a basic website with technical issues and scant content. Marsans' collapse in 2020 resulted in a €373 million deficit and over 11,000 creditors.

🛫 Airlines connecting the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla with the Spanish mainland and operating domestic flights threaten route abandonment or frequency reduction due to unpaid government debts totaling €810 million as of January 2025 for resident subsidies of 75% on ticket prices. The concern escalates with a potential debt of €1.5 billion forecasted for 2025 amid extended 2023 State Budgets. The government's allocated €560.81 million in 2023 plus an additional €170 million from the Contingency Fund fell short as air connectivity with the Canaries and Balearics increased by nearly 18% and 13% respectively in 2024 compared to 2019. This financial strain risks the viability of routes and economic development, impacting travel agencies awaiting subsidized ticket management fees.

🛈 Agustín Almodóbar, the Popular Party's Tourism spokesperson in the Senate, warns about the "ignorance, passivity, and absolute incompetence" of Minister Bustinduy and the lack of influence and leadership of Minister Hereu, endangering the survival of the Imserso tourism program. Concerns arise in the tourism sector due to no improvements or modernization efforts for senior travel programs after recent meetings. Almodóbar calls for urgent action as contracting conditions for lodging must be reviewed; otherwise, no hotels will participate next season, leading to closures and unemployment for thousands. He requests an urgent briefing from Imserso's General Director, María Teresa Sancho, on new tender progress and changes, while pressing the Executive to disclose decisions on the new specifications, as the tender for the 2025/2026 season is already delayed.