Transport

Airlines bosses called in over resident discounts

The debate over residents discounts and air fares has been ongoing for months. | Montserrat T. Díez - DECENAS DE

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma14/02/2020 14:31

Fernando Clavijo, a senator for the Coalición Canaria, has requested the appearance of senior management from various airlines so that they can explain to the Senate the increases in ticket prices since the raising of the residents discount to 75%.

Clavijo, formerly the president of the Canaries, wants the presidents and CEOs of Air Europa, Binter Canarias, Iberia, Ryanair and Vueling to all appear before the Senate’s transport committee.

He says that the airlines have the chance to “reverse the bullish trend in prices and to be more transparent” about their systems for setting prices.

The senator has also registered a number of written questions for the transport minister, José Luis Ábalos. Clavijo wants the minister to, for example, explain his position regarding public service obligations on specific routes between islands in the Canaries and the mainland.

The situation with flights between the Canaries and the mainland is mirrored in the Balearics, where there have been similar complaints to those in the Canaries about apparently abusive pricing since the discount was increased.

The Balearic government has apparently received assurances from Madrid that the 75 percent discounts is secure, but the problem is that airlines are hiking their fares to compensate for the extra reductions.