flights

Managers from the 27 airlines forming the world’s leading group meet in Barcelona for two days. They stressed Barcelona El Prat’s “strategic” position and its potential to become a hub linking Europe with the Middle East, Latin America and Southern Africa. Barcelona El Prat is Europe’s 4th airport regarding passenger origin and destination. The Catalan Government reasserted its commitment with Spanair.

The airline Vueling, which has its main base at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, has a network of permanent operating bases, to which Paris Orly will be added if French authorities give the green light. Vueling’s Chairman, Josep Piqué, announced that a minimum of six planes will be based at France’s second airport. Across the 21 routes it has in France, the airline estimates that it will carry 26% more passengers in 2011 when compared to last year.

Spanair, Singapore Airlines and Iberia have launched new direct connections with São Paulo, Miami and European destinations from Barcelona’s Airport. Gradually, Barcelona El Prat is putting together the pieces to become a continental hub in its own right.

Companies and agencies from the tourism industry have joint together to highlight the potential of the Asian tourist market and stress the obstacles for its growth. Currently, Barcelona has only two direct flights with Asia per week, a figure that is expected to largely increase. As an example of this potential, China exported almost 57 million of tourists abroad per year, but only 90,000 visit Barcelona.

While Spanair recorded an 11.6% increase in passengers in 2010, Iberia lost 19.5% passengers and Air Europe 16%. The airline that is partially owned by the Catalan Government offers 59 direct destinations from Barcelona, 13 of which intercontinental.

The company will partner with Spanair to offer direct flights to Sao Paulo starting in 2011. Singapore Airlines hopes to offer more direct flights from Barcelona to other South American capitals in the near future, announce its Executive Vice President of the airline.

The Catalan airline company has added 17 new flight destinations within the last year. It has also kicked off a new and improved customer loyalty programme, ‘Spanair Star’.

25 intercontinental destinations will be available from the Barcelona airport starting the 31st of October. In addition, many flights to current destinations will increase their frequency. However, this increase is not shared with the Girona and Reus airports, which are seeing their destination variety and frequency decrease now that Ryanair is flying out of Barcelona. Besides, operating from Girona in 2011 will be 27% cheaper, as airport taxes have been modified.

Within the last 5 years, Barcelona?s El Prat Airport has seen the number of intercontinental passengers grow about 70%. In addition, the number of flights and destinations within other continents have increased.