Following the ambitious expansion project completed late last December the new terminal in Almeria Airport has just completed its first six months of operation during which the overall effectiveness has been shown to be extremely positive, both in the operation of the new facilities and in the additional benefits available to users.

During the six month period a total of 399,469 passengers passed through the building, 394,751 of whom traveled on 7713 commercial flights. In terms of their destinations, 274,231 users connected with Spanish cities, while 120,520 flew to other parts of Europe.

In June alone, the number of passengers totaled 74,228, an increase of 6.1% over the same month last year. This improvement was due largely to the introduction of a number of new international routes, such as Iceland, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic. The new routes almost certainly contributed to the 17.6% increase in the number of passenger travelling to Europe.

Of the new technology to have made the biggest difference is the introduction of an improved Baggage Inspection System (Sieber). Now with a capacity to handle more than 2,000 bags per hour, the system processed 98,164 additional suitcases during the period.
The other major improvement has been to the airport car par which has seen a major increase in the number of vehicles it is able to take which now number 679. Since the launch of the new facilities 66,423 vehicles have parked in it.

The new terminal and its improved facilities have been very well received by passengers using the service. This is reflected in the latest survey of perceived quality by Aena airports with the airfield achieving the best rating in its history. In fact, the overall index that measures the quality gave the airport a mark of 3.91 points from a maximum of 5.

In achieving this mark the opinion of travelers has played a significant part. The aspects many were asked to comment on included comfort within the facilities, cleanliness, air conditioning, noise level, the friendliness of the staff and the speed and efficiency with which they were channeled through various airport processes.

The ratings given, to a maximum of 5, were: Comfort 4.02, Security 3.91, the Billing Process 3.90, the shipping area 3.95, Commercial 3.70, landing process and baggage 3.98, Access and transport 3.79 and Information Services 3.96. A spokesman said that these results are a reflection of the improved efficiency and high service level to the many staff operating within the airport facilities, whose operational capacity has now doubled.

Improvements to the airport brought about by the introduction of the new terminal include: an additional surface area of 24,900 square metres, 27 check in desks (one for special baggage), 6 boarding gates, 5 baggage collection belts (two of them with double luggage and special capacity). There are 1220 square meters dedicated to catering, 370 square meters for shops in the departure lounge and 375 square meters in arrivals.

Between 2007 and 2010, Aena airports earmarked 37 million euros for improvements to the infrastructure in Almeria Airport. The culmination of these works, which also benefitted by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is just the start of a series of improvements to the airport which will also see a new power station as well as the construction of a new building for the Fire Fighting Service (SEI).

“The maintenance personnel did not identify the cause of the breakage and dispatched the aircraft incorrectly, turning to point 30.8 of the MEL [Minimum Equipment List manual],” the experts’ conclusion read, adding that the document is written in such a way as to “induce error.”

The aircraft, a Boeing MD-82, detected a fault in an exterior heat sensor and returned to the stand. A Spanair mechanic found that a heater, designed to prevent ice forming on the sensor, was active and, following the manual, disconnected it. A Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Commission report published in August 2009 noted that in addition to this fault, the pilots failed to carry out the proper checks prior to take-off, did not correctly deploy the wing flaps, and that the TOWS warning system also malfunctioned.

The MD-82 has a history of failures, including a crash in Detroit that killed 154 people in 1987 and one in Indonesia in 2005 that left 25 people dead.

The report also stated that the “history of accidents caused by the inadequate configuration for take-off had not been addressed, up to the date of the JK5022 accident, with sufficient corrective measures on the part of [Spanish and EU] aviation authorities or the manufacturer to solve the problem.”

via ELPAÍS.com in English.

The Prime Minister and his wife arrived back in the UK at Luton Airport at lunchtime on Saturday 9 April 2011.  They had been pictured in the national press two days earlier waiting at Stansted for their outward Ryanair flight to Malaga, where they celebrated Samantha’s 40th birthday.

Their three children had stayed at home. Nancy, 7, Ewen, 5, were still at school while 7-month old baby Florence was being cared for by a nanny.

To board the flight quickly the couple paid £6 for a speedy boarding pass at Malaga. They sat at the front of the ‘plane for the three hour journey.

When they touched down at Luton they did not make their way through arrivals with the other passengers on the full flight. Instead they were whisked away in a car through a side exit.

The Prime Minister was said to be talkative with the crew and other passengers on the flight.  The first thing he did was order a cup of tea for £2.30.

A woman from Barnet, who did not want to be named, said: “We fly on easyJet all the time and you don’t expect to see the Prime Minister.

“He was very chatty with the other passengers and also got on with some work.  I think they seemed to have had a good holiday.”

via Local News – Heart Dunstable.

Travellers heading to Spain for Easter face chaos after the country’s main trade unions announced 22 days of planned strikes.

They including four during Easter week and other walkouts have been called for the May bank holiday, and at the height of summer.

Unions are protesting at the government’s partial privatisation of the airport management company.

They argue that this will lead to airport closures and job losses.

Transport Minister Jose Blanco has said the government will meet union officials on Thursday for talks to avert the walkout.

The government plans to sell a 49% stake in the national airport authority, Aena.

It values that stake at close to 8bn euros (£7bn; $11bn) – crucial to its efforts to reduce the budget deficit and avoid a debt crisis like those in Greece and Ireland.

But trade union officials fear the sell-off will mean job losses, poorer working conditions for those retained and a reduced service.

They are also demanding that all 47 Spanish airports remain open – even the ones that are small and unprofitable.

Up to 12,000 workers could join the walkout – including firefighters and some security staff – bringing airports across the country to a standstill.

The trade unions say they have been in negotiations with the government since the privatisation was announced in December but that those talks have now stopped.

Tourism and airline managers are calling for both sides to act responsibly, warning such strike action – at peak holiday times – would cause serious damage to Spain’s economy, which is still struggling to recover from the recession.

via BBC News – Holiday strikes loom for Spanish over Aena dispute.

Additional flights will operate from Gatwick and Manchester throughout April to destinations such as Lanzarote, Tenerife, Alicante, Malaga, Majorca, Faro and Larnaca as well as new services to Paphos, which were originally scheduled to commence in May 2011.*

Commenting on Monarch’s expanded flying programme for April, Managing Director of Monarch Airlines, Kevin George said, “We have been astonished by the soaring demand for Monarch flights in April, which we believe is being driven by the proximity of Easter to the additional bank holiday. Bookings for April are already up 49% compared with the same time last year with demand from customers still increasing. The addition of 31,000 extra seats into the timetable for April will cater for this demand and enable more customers to take advantage of Monarch’s great service and low fares over the long Easter period.”

Monarch operates scheduled flights to Spain, Gibraltar, Portugal, Cyprus and Turkey from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester airports.

via {Travel Daily News}.

Along with the daily flight Emirates offers between Madrid and Dubai, this dual frequency between Dubai and Seychelles will allow travelers coming from or going to Madrid to take advantage of new and excellent connections to Dubai – up to just 100 minutes – and, therefore, the total travel time between Spain and the Seychelles (or vice versa) will be significantly reduced.

With the increase of its offer, Emirates maintains its firm commitment to the idyllic Seychelles islands and their quality tourism offer.

Rates examples: Madrid-Seychelles as from 9€52.16 in Economy Class, €2,752.16 in Business Class, and €4,952.16 in First Class (taxes included).

Bookings at www.emirates.com or travel agencies.

via Emirates offers daily flights between Spain and Seychelles | Rus Tourism News.

Spanish air traffic controllers are beginning to return to work following a wildcat strike, an airports authority spokesman said.

“The controllers are returning to work and nearly half of the airspace sectors are open,” the AENA spokesman told Reuters.

Earlier Spain´s Socialist government declared a state of emergency and said those controllers who did not return to work would be breaking the law.

But the disruption is set to continue. Spanish carrier Iberia cancelled all flights until 0500 GMT on Sunday, and budget carrier Ryanair scrapped all its Spanish flights today.

The army took over air control towers on Friday afternoon after the walkout by controllers quickly stopped flights in and out of Spain´s main airports, disrupting travel for around 250,000 people on one of Spain´s busiest holiday weekends.

via Airport authority says controllers return to work By Reuters.

The Spanish government has declared a state of alert after a strike by air traffic controllers grounded flights, stranding thousands of travellers.

The measure will allow widldcat strikers to be charged with a crime under the military penal code.

About half of the controllers showed for their shift on Saturday morning but most refused to work, in a dispute over hours and conditions.

National carrier Iberia has cancelled all flights until 0600 CET on Sunday.

There are huge crowds of passengers at Spain´s airports, many hoping to get away at the start of a national holiday, many of them frustrated and angry.

The army was called in to take charge of the country´s air space on Friday, but cannot direct air traffic.

Announcing the state of alert, Deputy Prime Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said the air traffic controllers were trying to protect “unacceptable privileges”.

Spain is engaged in a big austerity drive to cut its budget deficit.

Legal threat

Some flights were operating to parts of Spain, including the Canary Islands and Majorca but flagship carrier Iberia, and budget airline Ryanair said they were cancelling all their flights until Sunday morning.

The controllers´ unsanctioned action began Friday afternoon in Madrid, with staff calling in sick.

It spread across the nation, forcing travellers to find last-minute hotel rooms or sleep on airport floors. Some passengers were taken by coach to their destinations.

The controllers were already involved in a dispute about their working hours, but were further angered by austerity measures passed by the government on Friday which would partially privatise AENA.

“We have reached our limit mentally with the new decree approved this morning obliging us to work more hours,” said Jorge Ontiveros, a spokesman for the Syndicate Union of Air Controllers.

“We took the decision individually, which then spread to other colleagues who stopped work because they cannot carry on like this. In this situation we cannot control planes.”

´Hostages´

The head of AENA, Juan Ignacio Lema, said the strike was “intolerable”, and told the controllers to “stop blackmailing the Spanish people”.

Spanish Transport Minister Jose Blanco has also condemned the strike, saying those involved were “using citizens as hostages”.

Hundreds of national and international flights have been cancelled across the country, leaving angry passengers left stranded in airports.

Some were left stranded on runways as their planes had to turn back. Others had to travel by bus to regional destinations.

“All flights are blocked, there´s a huge lot of people here, sitting around everywhere. Right now everyone is calm, but we don't know what´s happening,” said one traveller at Barajas airport.

“The captain came out to say Spanish airspace had suddenly shut, with no prior warning,” another passenger stuck in a plane at Palma told Spanish radio.

One woman at Barajas airport said it was “a disgrace”. “How can a group of people be so selfish as to wreck the plans of so many people?”

via BBC News – Spain under state of alert over air strike chaos.

Spain´s military has taken over the country´s air traffic control after civilian traffic controllers called in sick en masse.

The move – authorised by the government – comes after several airports across Spain were shut after traffic controllers´ unauthorised walkout.

Most of Spain´s airspace remains closed after the strike began.

The controllers are involved in a dispute with Spanish airport authority Aena over hours and conditions.

Earlier on Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero´s office warned that the military would take over planning, supervision and control of the country´s airspace unless the controllers called off the unsanctioned strike.

Spanish Transport Minister Jose Blanco also condemned the strike, saying: “We will not allow this blackmail, which is using citizens as hostages.”

The controllers´ action began at 1700 local time (1600 GMT), resulting in the shutdown of about 90% of Spain´s airspace, with the exception of the southern region of Andalucia.

Madrid´s Barajas airport was one of the first to be affected, along with airports on Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca in the Balearic Islands.

Barajas is the busiest airport in Spain – a hub for international and national flights, and the base for the national carrier Iberia.

The BBC´s Sarah Rainsford in Madrid says the action has disrupted air traffic across the country at the start of a holiday weekend. Many passengers were left stranded on runways.

´Crime´

Aena has called the action irresponsible and threatened to take punitive action against the controllers.

The strike action could affect the travel plans of up to 250,000 people

“The decision to paralyse air traffic in the country is extremely serious and, as well as being extremely serious misconduct that could be punished with disciplinary dismissals… it constitutes a crime,” Aena said.

It is not clear how long the protest is intended to last, but according to Iberia, Barajas airport could remain closed until 2400 GMT.

Iberia has cancelled all flights from Spanish airports until 1000 GMT on Saturday.

Aena estimates that the strike action could affect the travel plans of up to 250,000 people.

“All flights are blocked, there´s a huge lot of people here, sitting around everywhere. Right now everyone is calm, but we don´t know what´s happening,” said one traveller at Barajas airport.

“The captain came out to say Spanish airspace had suddenly shut, with no prior warning,” another passenger stuck in a plane at Palma told Spanish radio.

via BBC News – Spain’s military takes over air traffic control.

Spain´s airport authority tonight closed airspace throughout most of the country after a long-running dispute with air traffic controllers boiled over, stranding thousands of travelers on the eve of a long weekend in Spain.

A spokeswoman for airport authority AENA said that around 90% of the country´s air-traffic controllers have walked off the job, forcing it to close airspace throughout all the country except in the southern region of Andalucia. She said AENA was in touch with European Union and U.S. authorities over the closure.

Monday and Wednesday are national holidays in Spain.

Earlier today, the government approved legislation that opens the door to the partial privatisation of AENA, as well as the management of individual airports by private operators. The legislation also establishes new criteria for calculating the working hours of air traffic controllers.

Air traffic controllers say the new regulations will severely limit maternity and paternity leaves, among other things, and viewed them as the latest attempt by Public Works Minister Jose Blanco to shake up their sector. “This was the last straw,” said Daniel Zamit, a representative of Spain's union of air traffic controllers, in an interview with Spain´s CNN+ television station.

Earlier this year, Blanco said he would be curtailing some of the privileges of Spanish air traffic controllers, which he said were among the highest paid in Europe.

Nonetheless, Zamit denied his union had called a strike today. “These are individual reactions to an aggression” against workers´ rights, Zamit said, adding he couldn´t say how long the actions would last.

via 2nd UPDATE: Spain Closes Airports On Air Controller Walkout – WSJ.com.