Airlines are experiencing a sweet moment, but always with the fly behind their ear due to the different threats that threaten their operations. Airlines have experienced another spectacular summer in which they have transported 177 million passengers to or from Spain, 8.6% more than in the same period in 2023, according to data released today by the Association of Airlines (ALA). ). But not everything has been a bed of roses. The employers’ association that represents the interests of Iberia, Air Europa or Ryanair denounces the air congestion in European skies, which has triggered flight delays by 55% above 2019, the year in which air traffic was 2.6% higher. This is the worst record since 2019. The president of ALA, Javier Gándara, has assured that it is a problem of lack of capacity of European air control, which is less serious in Spain, but that above all occurs in France, a country that It is crucial for Spain, as it is an obligatory passage for most connections with the rest of Europe. “Depending on the country, it is a problem of lack of controllers, technology or investments,” listed Gándara, who has asked to “overcome these inefficiencies in airspace” to meet demand needs and provide a solution to these growing delays. “It is necessary to guarantee sufficient capacity and efficient management as soon as possible, in this way a better service will be provided to the airlines and also to citizens,” said the general director for Southern Europe of Easyjet. Related News standard No Inflation hits national tourism: Spaniards traveled 7% less and spent 4% more in the second quarter Xavier Vilaltella Between April and June, Madrid residents were the most travelers, with 1,188 departures per thousand inhabitantsLikewise, airlines are looking with concern the different armed conflicts that are reproduced around Europe, such as the escalation of war in Ukraine, and “especially” in the Middle East. Airlines believe that it is a factor that can affect the price of fuel, inflation and the deterioration of the economic situation of consumers and in this way, undermine the good performance of air traffic. “The unstable geopolitical context in which we find ourselves may condition the good performance of air traffic and the forecasts for winter, in addition to traffic flows,” indicated the ALA leader. Towards a record 2024 For the moment, the forecast of airlines for the winter, is leaning towards the all-time high of travelers. From October to March 2025, 137 million seats have been scheduled, 11.6% above what was operated in the winter season of 2023, which ensures that it is already anticipated that the year will end in a record above 2023, at 283 million passengers will be transported. What can act as a barrier to the advancement of these figures in the future are the decarbonization objectives that Europe demands for the medium and long term, due to which Spain could lose 4.5 million tourists. due to the increase in the price of plane tickets. In this sense, Gándara has pointed out that the ecological transition of aviation must be carried out from an environmental perspective, but also a social and economic one, preserving the achieved democratization of aviation. “We are committed to the decarbonization of aviation, but it must be done while maintaining its democratization, which remains accessible and affordable for everyone,” he stressed. Gándara, as on previous occasions, has once again stressed that the solution is the commitment to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), in the face of fiscal measures “that increase costs and do not decarbonize.” In this sense, it has requested incentives for SAF production to guarantee supply in Spain in accordance with the established objectives: the use of 2% of SAF in 2025 and its progressive increase to 70% in 2050.
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