The merger of Iberia and Air Europa and the transfers that the European Commission forces the merged company to make not only have the purchasing protagonists in suspense. There is a whole group of low-cost airlines on alert for the outcome of the process. There is a large number of flight rights at stake in markets that are now very crowded and difficult to penetrate, which can alter the balance at airports like Barcelona.
Ryanair, the first European company by number of passengers, has already put its cards on the table and aspires to keep its share of the pie. “We are the airline that provides real competitiveness in the Spanish market and we are open to taking slots in Madrid, Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands,” they confirm from the Irish low cost. Connectivity with the islands, where there is no alternative by train, stands out as one of the jewels in the crown. In the case of flights between Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, for example, if the acquisition were to take place without commitments, it would go from the three current operators – Vueling, Ryanair and Air Europa – to only two, and the IAG group would reach a market share, in terms of flight offer, of 82.95%, compared to the current 55%.
Volotea also sails weapons. Growing in Madrid and Barcelona would be a boost for their plans to go public. In this sense, the airline states that they are interested in acting as contractors on those routes dictated by Brussels. “We do not have a preference for some routes or others or for specific destinations and we are ready to cover all short and medium-haul routes that the Commission dictates,” they maintain. “We are interested in the slots that can be released in Madrid and in connections from the Peninsula to the islands,” they add.
The Canarian Binter aspires to retain Air Europa routes in the Canary Islands-Peninsula corridor. “As long as the circumstances arose and with the right partners, we could consider accessing the Madrid-Balearics corridor,” explains the company.
What happens with the merger could have a rebound impact on Vueling in Barcelona. In a context of limited capacity, every slot that Ryanair can win makes it stronger and strengthens its position as the second airline in El Prat. “The fact that Ryanair or Volotea can grow on routes such as Barcelona-Madrid or Barcelona-Palma de Mallorca can moderate prices downwards” and drag down Vueling, maintains Pere Suau-Sanchez, researcher at the UOC and Cranfield University. .
For its part, IAG admits negotiations with airlines interested in Air Europa routes.
