Tag Archives: Investments

Aena acquires majority stake in Luton airport Airports,Regulations

Many aircrafts grounded in Luton airport because of the volcanic activity in April 2010 / Flickr - Geoff Collins

Last Friday, the Spanish council of Ministers authorised Aena to acquire the majority of London Luton airport. Thus, Aena acquires ownership of 11% of Luton airport reaching a total controlling stake of 51%. A 40% participation had been already bought in November 2013. Luton airport served 9.7 million passengers in 2013. It is the fifth largest UK airport in passengers. It is also easyJet‘s main base With regard to the other Aena airports, Luton is the sixth, after Gran Canaria and ahead of Alicante-Elche ABC said this purchase is a part of the Aena’s plan to increase the international presence in strategic airports. As…

Aena analysing Málaga to create an international hub Airports

Málaga Airport to become an International hub

During the last meeting of the Andalusia Autonomous Community Coordination  Committee on July 25 they agreed to boost Málaga airport as International hub. CadenaSer informed last Sunday that Aena has been requested to keep this proposal in mind within the marketing plan to open new routes and continue to increase traffic and investments for Málaga airport. The idea is that Aena suggests Málaga airport for a home base to the international airlines they may meet with. This would mean a significant increase of traffic for the airport, which has availability to reach 30 million passengers per year.   Málaga Airport has availability for up…

Aena will go public in early November Regulations

Rafael Catlá and Ana Pastor, on the right-hand side of the image, in 2012

Last week we informed that Aena will go public in November. Yesterday, Rafael Catalá confirmed this point during a conference at Executive Forum España. As you may remember, Rafael Catalá is State Secretary for Infrastructure and, therefore, chairman of ENAIRE. ENAIRE, is the State company which is currently 100% responsible of Aena SA – formerly Aena Aeropuertos. Thus, ENAIRE is about to start the privatisation process of Aena SA by 49%. El Confidencial, informed yesterday about this conference. Hence Aena will start trading on the stock exchange in early November. As expected, they will launch 28% of their share capital for private investors through an…

Gran Canaria airport works: finished the second phase Airports

Vehicles parked in front of a Gran Canaria airport’s entrance / Flickr - Håkan Dahlström

In September we informed that the first phase of the Gran Canaria airport works had been concluded. Last week Aena published another press release: The second phase is now finished too. The third and last phase is left.This way, the improved terminal started working on July 15th. It has 42,000 more square meters. On the first floor a new check-in area has been built. This new area has 18 counters which could increase up to 34 in the future. Also, there is a new security control zone with two double filters, a boarding lounge and shops. The intermediate floor has another boarding lounge, mainly…

Aena tariff freeze until 2025 Charges,Regulations

Madrid airport Terminal 4

Aena tariff freeze: The ministry of Development—Fomento—is ready for the Aena tariff freeze in the Spanish airports until 2025.The Royal Decree draft of the Document for Airport Regulation (DORA) takes into consideration the Aena tariff freeze until 2025. This is expected just after the confirmation of the privatisation by 49% of Aena Aeropuertos.The target is to bring more traffic to the Spanish airports. Hence, the Aena tariff freeze will be subject to conditions such as “possible regulatory changes or unforeseen occurrences”.Thus, the draft fixes the Aena tariff freeze until 2025 provided that the investments in the net are not over 450 million Euros…

Aena Privatisation: Competition disagrees, Ryanair interested Airports,Regulations

Ryanair and Iberia in competition

As soon as the Aena privatisation was definitely confirmed by the Minister many thoughts, interpretations and declarations have appeared in the Spanish media. Since this is something that we have been following very closely, we have extracted some pieces of news which may be relevant to the subject.The National Competition Commission disagreesFirst of all, ElMundo.es published a thorough article informing that the Spanish Competition Commission is not happy with the privatisation as it has been planned by the Government. In their view, it will not benefit the industry to keep the airport net monopoly. For Competition it would be better to separate Aena in…

Aena privatisation is confirmed Airports,Regulations

Lufthansa takeoff shot from Barcelona airport terminal / Kozumel

Ana Pastor – Minister of Development – managed to succeed with her plans and they will finally go ahead with the Aena privatisation. Aena will make an initial public offering (IPO) this autumn. However, they will put on sale only 49% of the company instead of 60% as their Consulting Council of Privatisation (CCP) had recommended.A smaller part through the same privatisation system.The council of ministers reached an agreement last Friday. Thus, they confirmed the Aena privatisation will be distributed in two phases: 28% through an IPO, and 21% for a stable nucleus with at least three main shareholders. This is…

Castellón airport to start operations this year (as well) Airports

Valencia Autonomous Region president presenting the Castellón airport project / PresidenciaGVA

According to LaVanguardia.com SNC-Lavalin confirmed the first commercial flight will operate in Castellón airport before the end of 2014. They foresee to have reached one million passengers per year in ten years.We had recently informed that Murcia-Corvera airport intend to start operations in 2014 as well. Probably both airports want to take benefit from the good figures of the Spanish airports in general, and Alicante in particular. Alicante gained passengers by 7.7% between January and April 2014 with regard to the same period of 2013. Alain Russel, chairman of SNC-Lavalin – the company to manage Castellón airport – said this during the presentation of the project for the Castellón…

The current Air Nostrum CEO to become the owner Airlines

Air Nostrum CRJ-200ER at Lanzarote airport

Air Nostrum hired the services from Seabury to analyse and sell the airline. Today, Levante-emv.com informs that the current Air Nostrum CEO, Carlos Bertomeu, has decided to make a strong commitment to the airline by putting his own money. For this purpose, he has the support from his partners of the Valencian Infertility Institute to invest in such a difficult and changing industry.“Creativity, determination, long-term thinking, humility and ability to correct mistakes are, in my view, the values to start a business from the scratch” Bertomeu said during a cabin crew course closure. Values which he will have to apply in his new…

Aena becomes profitable Charges,Regulations

Aena’s logo at Madrid Airport / David

Aena becomes profitable: The Aena Group published a press release confirming they had become profitable with benifits by 715 million Euros in 2013. According to elEconomista.es this has been possible thanks to cuts in costs and increases in fees.Thus, the EBITDA – gross operating profit – reached 1,610 million Euros, 32.5% over those 1,215 million of 2012.Most of these net benefits come from Aena Aeropuertos which, for the first time, managed to be profitable and finished 2013 with a net income of 597 million Euros. In 2012 they had a loss by 75.7 million Euros.The Government is trying to privatise Aena Aeropuertos since June 2011 when the…