02/04/2013 00:00
TW
0
Joan Collins THE Association of Spanish Airline Companies (AECA) said yesterday that it was very pleased with the rise in the number of flights to the island by the “low cost” and “no-frills” airlines. Their President, Felipe Navio, said that he saw “good prospects” for investment by these airlines in the future with the possibility of yet more routes. According to Navio there is a “moderate optimism” in the sector after the presentation of the airline companies' Summer programmes, which were published last week and came into effect on Sunday (March 26). He added that the results of this would begin to be seen in the “next few weeks”. Actually, AENA (the Spanish Airports Authority) said that the aircraft movements programmed for Palma during the Summer season will rise by 12 percent (15'153) compared with summer last year, with a total of 141'307 movements expected. In airports throughout Spain, the programmed movements will rise by 7.7 percent with a total of 1'243'887 planned. This means that it is possible to fly to more than 280 destinations in 70 countries from airports in the network operated by AENA. The change in season for European airlines coincided with the start of European Summer Time. The “slots” (take off and landing times) allocated in Spanish airports have risen by 9.1 percent with regard to the number of seats offered, 174'609'348. According to AENA, these figures prove that the connectivity of Spanish airports “continues to rise, with nearly 90'000 additional movements which represent around 15'000'000 more seats offered”. The airlines with more seats on offer are: Iberia (36'406'368); Spanair (20'296'519); Air Europa (12'864'765); Air Nostrum (9'082'508); and Air Berlin (8'446'860). The airports with more movements planned are: Madrid (266'753, 5.6 percent more); Barcelona (202'025, 8.8 percent more); Palma (141'307, 12 percent more); Malaga (79'260, 7.5 percent more); and Gran Canaria (62'159, 6.5 percent more). And among the 10 airlines with the most volume of air traffic in Spanish airports, those which will grow most in the Summer season are: Vueling Airlines (93 percent more); Ryanair (23 percent); Air Berlin (23 percent); Monarch Airlines (22 percent); and easyJet (13 percent). The airports which have the highest growth in the number of aircraft movements planned are: Barcelona (16'273 new movements); Palma (15'153); Madrid (14'150).