Malaga Airport News Blog about Malaga Airport (AGP)

The second runway at Malaga Airport-Costa del Sol is already built and advances in processing all aspects necessary for its entry into service expected in early 2012.

The latest development is the approval by Aena of the navigation systems, in a report that has required a dozen test flights, according to statistics provided by the institution. These tests have shown the effectiveness of radio waves, an installed equipment on the ground that broadcast signals for landing and takeoff maneuvers.

In the case of Malaga airport the current runway has two ILS (aid systems for approach) and in the new one has been installed one more.

77% of Málaga airport employees vote against strikes in a referendum.

77% of AENA workers, who participated in the referendum held between Wednesday and Thursday at Malaga airport, have decided to accept the draft agreement achieved last week with the Ministry of Public Works and not go on strike which had been convened for 22 days.

Spanish airports strike discarded

This positive development is good news both for the tourism sector on the Costa del Sol, as well as thousands of tourists who already have seen their well-deserved Easter holiday in southern Spain “volatilizing”.

The landing and takeoff are usually the tensest minutes for airline passengers. The moment when the engines are at full power to initiate the flight or the rough noise indicating that the wheels have just released to land troubles many travelers who feel more intimidated when flying.

The security levels are extremely high to avoid any problem and every year it goes a step further with the advent of new technologies. Malaga airport is at the forefront to the point that is the only airfield in Spain in which Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (Aena) is testing an innovative navigation system called GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System).

GBAS is a more advanced navigator than the GPS and gives references in three dimensions. The key advantage is that it gives the aircraft a very accurate positioning of the environment and that’s going to allow optimized operations, reducing flying time and trajectories to perform. In any case, this device will not replace the work done by air traffic controllers.

All data are consolidated and shared with the specialized agencies of the United States, Germany and Australia, which also are testing these devices. Aena’s manager explained that Malaga was chosen “because it is an airport with heavy traffic where carriers have shown interest in the system, and because we wanted a difficult terrain and the airport is surrounded by mountains and sea so that we can bring the system to limit and check in any situation.”

Malaga airport has been the only one in Spain where has been tested the GBAS and therefore is also one of the first facilities in Europe to be used. Technological advances are, in principle, greater security for the flights and the introduction of this three-dimensional GPS allows pilots to have a better reference of the area. Passengers will appreciate, especially those who strongly grip the armrests as the plane goes up or down.

The tourism industry welcomed the tentative agreement attained yesterday between the government and the syndicates and expects to have a good Easter week.

The tourism sector in Malaga breathed yesterday with relief when the Ministry of Development announced that has been reached a tentative agreement between the direction of Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (Aena) and the syndicates, thus have been dismissed the 22 days planned to strike at Easter, May and summer.

The notice of strike by workers of Aena had felt like a cold shower because the sector already had to overcome last year’s wildcat strike by air traffic controllers in December or the eruption of a volcano in Iceland in April.

Today the Spanish stock market says goodbye to Iberia after nearly ten years of history in the market. After its merger with British Airways Iberia bids farewell to Ibex to return in a few days as the International Airlines Group (IAG).

Shares in Iberia and British Airways will no longer quote at the close of the session this Thursday. The Spanish airline will be excluded from the Ibex 35 and both resume on Monday 24^th trading on the Spanish and English stock, but under the name International Airlines Group, resulting from the merger.

Iberia, American Airlines and British Airways have launched a commercial alliance that includes all flights between Europe and North America. Through this alliance, the three companies will share revenue and coordinate to deliver a better product to their customers.

In particular, they have coordinated their networks and schedules to provide more and better flight options. Also, the companies will launch new routes they could not open by themselves. Furthermore, they will coordinate sales and customer service through their Internet portals call centers and airports.