Gerardo Diaz Ferraz the owner is one of the most reputed business in Spain, who has been able to create a big touristical empire. Actually the biggest in Spain. Air Comet was a reliable airline but after the experience with Aerolineas Argentinas, it was a matter of time. The argentinian airline is probably one of the most inefficient airline in the world. Dominated by trade unions full of privileges in the old sindicalism-piqueteros-rioting style, and with the idea in the argentinian people that the airline is still a part of the Argentinian identity. Costly, expensive, really money losing, with the market controlled, and with most of the routes also unprofitable; all those who tried to buy Aerolineas knew it was a poisoned gift. AA failed, IB failed.

Air Comet decided to buy it, but again the same nationalistic campaigns against the old colonial power which wants to close Aerolineas. Air Comet pumped money in in huge amounts, bought planes (some paralized by Unions like the A320) but the Unions refused to rationalize the airline and lose power. So, the new argentinian goverment decided to renationalize the airline (against all laws of the free market), backed by a public oppinion which considered it was a nice way to kick the old Spanish colonial power. Flag waving, and NOT A SINGLE EURO given to Air Comet for the cuban style seizure. No purchase, but complete takeover. So the Air Comet, which had been running out cash couldn´t face the situation.

Then the second factor. Diaz Ferraz is the top representative of the Spanish Enterpreneurs Association which opposed the current and recent Socialist Goverment plans to face the crisis. So his relations with the current cabinet was not really rosy. And then it comes Iberia. While there´s still a huge amount a backing to Iberia by all goverments, which tolerates the absolute monopoly of the Spanish skies, the red line for Iberia is South America. Their backyard. Whatever they do, in the backstage it´s clear that they have double standards. While dozens of sectors in Spain get subsidies, and Iberia in an indirect way, the goverment hasn´t been able to give a single euro to Air Comet and has acted closing it down. The same as happened with Air Madrid under the same circunstances.

Air Europa doesn´t dare to compete Iberia, too much and Spanair decided to to keep away from South America too. Iberworld only remains a few destinations and Air Pullmantur doesn´t care to have any schedule destination. So…..not only the owners are responsable many others in this tragical dissappearance. Bad day for the free market. 🙁 We would be able to have a healthy situation if someone could tell Iberia: enough is enough. I don´t want to say that there are direct links between the collapse and Iberia, but many people here and the media know Iberia is always involved. The goverment has given grants to Iberia to take all Air Comet passengers stranded in the many airports of the world.

I am sure of that. A kind of revenge. Emirates was a response against former Gulf Air. Etihad against Emirates. With the aid from Abu Dhabi to the ailing Dubai Emirate economy, I am sure the UAE want to get rid of Emirates by controlling then into Etihad.

So mergers again in the Gulf. Interesting gamble. 😀 Qatar Airways is next I am affraid.

Any alliance is really bad too. But Star (JKK in Spain about to withdraw only to BCN) and Skyteam (with Air Europa also closing down most domestic routes) are not playing any role in our market.

Only Ryanair is the choice in many domestic airports. Do I like it?. No, not at all. But that´s what it is. I would love to have all three alliances, and a couple of low costs, to create real competence. But no….only IB with any of its faces.

Well, we are quite used to this surprising elements time to time coming from Iberia. This an old idea, because it owns most of the traffic rights between Spain and South America, a market totally monopolistic in which Iberia feels pretty confortable because they can continue imposing high fares, no competence in the horizon.

They know the European market and traffic to the US and now domestic is lost. Simply they can´t compete with the excesive force of Iberia Trade Union, which like in the case of Alitalia are not used of giving up privileges, and adopting themselves to the current enviroment.

For the moment they still move the strings of power in Spain making the politicians to keep the way with no burdens, and controlling 80% of the market. First via Air Nostrum, and destroying Clickair, once they have been able to get it into Vueling, to control the whole stuff and no opposition from the goverment. An airline whose CEO are still deeply controllled by the goverming powers and who always have the support of “Ministers of Transport”.

As some of us have forecasted, the aim to get into Vueling is not a way to fight against Ryanair which grows and grows, but closing them down. Now they want to create a new Iberia, with lower costs. We all know what it means: emtpy costly Iberia, built a more effective Iberia, and shutting Vueling (they have already done it in the case of former Aviaco or Viva Air). It´s interesting when they say, that the new airline won´t compete with any other branchs. But it´s hardly difficult to imagine any airport without the presence of old Iberia, Air Nostrum or Vueling.

So a sea of problems coming again with the crews strike, which know that the new invention is a kind of controlling them.

Most of Spaniards are no fed up with Iberia, that few people is interesting of what´s going on with it.

I don´t normally hate any airline, just encounter good and bad experiences when flying. I don´t normaly care what an airline makes, as long the fare is good, and I have to admit that Ryanair ones are particularly good compared to Iberia in our monopolistic Iberia soil.

We usally are really greatfull in Spain, despite Iberia monopolizing the 80% of the market, for having a choice. And in the regional airports whose fares have dropped significatively when Ryanair came over, we usually say; long live to Ryanair.

Airline industry is not particularly clean, and in Spain we have a good example or dirty tactics. So for the moment, Ryanair it´s still “baby games”, in the Spanish aviation history. I have never understood this heated debate about Ryanair: yes or no. Being loyal or not. As a private company, I don´t have any reason to complain for its commercial policy, as long as it doesn´t affect me, my reservations. It´s none of my business.

So flying low costs?. Well depends. Why not?. Iberia will charge for checked baggage. So having “catering for purchase” on board, no refunds, assistance on expensive numbers, and now pay for the luggage..Is there any difference between a “regular airline” and “a low cost”?. Is it possible to determine when an airline is a low cost one or not. I am not sure about it.

Usual stuff. Operations under tropical rain in summer time.