airport

when Istanbul moved 45,000 tons from its old airport in less than 45 hours

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Modern aviation is not only measured in knots or altitudes, but also in the ability of airports to process huge flows of people or cargo on a continuous basis. But there is an unwanted scenario that could occur: that the airport is not enough. When it collapses, it dies of success and serious logistical measures have to be taken. This is what happened in Istanbul: the need to expand the old Atatürk airport encountered an insurmountable barrier in the form of urban geography. For great evils, great remedies: they had to move the entire airport while international aviation and the country’s logistics continued their course. The event is known as “The Great Move“and constitutes the largest move in civil aviation. In less than 45 hours the center of gravity of air transport in the region moved 42 kilometers north, to the new Istanbul Airport (IST), with all that this entails. The move. In aviation, this operational transfer program is known as ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer) and it goes without saying that this move was not spontaneous, but rather the opposite: it took two years of meticulous preparation in which they trained 33,000 airport staff and carried out two large-scale drills to detect potential problems. It all started immediately after the opening of the new airport in October 2018 and the final phase (that move), was executed in a continuous 45-hour window between April 5 and 6, 2019 to move more than 10,000 pieces of equipment with a total weight of 47,300 tons. In fact, it was even better: they did it in much less time. Why is it important. If a move has its ins and outs per se, for an airport the problems and the need to execute it without errors multiply as long as it is a living infrastructure with interdependent systems such as fuel, air traffic control, security, IT, passengers and luggage. Disconnecting, transporting and reconnecting everything without collapsing the air traffic of one of the busiest cities in the world is a high-flying engineering challenge. “The Great Move” showed that a world-class hub is possible without a prolonged dual transition, minimizing the operational risk of managing two airports simultaneously. Finally, the movement consolidated Istanbul as a great connection point between Europe and Asia, rivaling others in the Middle East such as Doha or Dubai. Without this move, Turkish Airlines’ growth would likely have been stagnant due to the physical limitations of the old airport. Context. In 2017, Atatürk Airport was the fifth busiest in Europe, behind Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. Without going any further, in 2018 served to almost 70 million passengers, making it the tenth busiest on the planet. But it was limited: it was surrounded by the city on three sides and by the Sea of ​​Marmara on the fourth, so expansion was physically impossible. The secondary airport of Sabiha Gökçen It had also reached its maximum capacity. The lack of space was so critical that it prevented the Airbus A380 from operating, making Atatürk the only major airport in Europe and the Middle East unable to receive such aircraft. So in 2013 they made the decision. The flight that brought down the curtain on Atatürk was Turkish Airlines TK54: it took off on April 6, 2019 at 02:44 to Singapore. In figures. Although there are slight variations in sources directly involved such as Turkish Airlines or the documentary he recorded of the process by the airport operator with the collaboration of National Geographic, are minor and do not detract from the colossal nature of the operation: A planned duration of 45 hours (which they reduced to 33 according to the IGA and less than 30 according to Turkish Airlines) More than 10,000 pieces of equipment moved between airports, with a total weight of 47,300 tons. Equivalent to 33 football fields. 686 semi-trailers used for transportation, according to the CEO of Turkish Airlines. 1,800 people were directly involved in the process. They estimated the distance traveled by the trucks in 45 hours to be 400,000 kilometers, that is, going around the Earth about 10 times. How they did it. It took two years of meticulous preparation in which they trained 33,000 airport staff and conducted two large-scale drills to detect potential problems. Planning required more than 100 meetings and workshops and there were three logistics companies involved. For execution, they developed a logistical transfer plan with details of the movement of each vehicle in 15-minute windows. The route was established through a corridor between the two airports, using the new highway connection between both facilities and each vehicle was checked twice: once at the departure gate and once in a separate control area. The whole process was monitored in real time with GPRS to detect any incident. At 02:59 on April 6, 2019, the IATA code changes were made: Atatürk’s IST code was renamed ISL and the new airport inherited it. Between 02:00 and 14:00 that day, both airports were closed to commercial flights, a 12-hour period that constituted the critical core of the entire operation. The new airport. Istanbul Airport had an estimated budget of 22 billion euros, becoming at that time the second most expensive airport ever built, as told Reuters. Designed with a single terminal under a single roof of 1.4 million square meters, initially allowing 90 million passengers annually. The master plan contemplates expansions up to 200 million, with independent runways that allow simultaneous landings and takeoffs, eliminating waiting in the air. In 2025, the airport rondo 85 million passengers, making it the second busiest in Europe after Heathrow and the seventh in the world. In Xataka | The unfinished dream of the Roman Empire: a 125-kilometer train to link Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus In Xataka | One of the largest and strangest airports in the world is not going to be in Dubai or the UAE: it is going to be in Ethiopia Cover | Ercan Karakaş and Kulttuurinavigaattori

How this airport has become a haven for airlines

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The war conflict in Iran has forced Qatar Airways to park part of your fleet thousands of miles from home. What may have surprised some is that the chosen destination was the Teruel airport. But it makes more sense than it seems. We tell you all the details. The trigger. On February 28, when the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran, the military escalation that followed caused the closure of airspace Qatar and, with it, the temporary suspension of Qatar Airways commercial flights. The company, based at Doha’s Hamad International Airport, announced it would not resume operations until civil aviation authorities ensured safe conditions. Since then, as has shared El Confidencial has only operated specific flights through restricted air corridors. Why Teruel? With a fleet grounded and the risk of keeping it in a war-torn region, Qatar Airways needed to move its planes to safe and affordable locations. Teruel Airport, which does not operate regular passenger flights but is home to Tarmac Aerosave, a company specialized in parking, maintenance and aeronautical recycling with offices also in Toulouse and Tarbes, was a perfect fit. It is not the first time that its facilities have faced a crisis of this caliber, since during the pandemic it managed to guard 127 aircraft simultaneously, including more than twenty Airbus A-380s, according to they count from Diario de Teruel. The numbers. In less than ten days, Qatar Airways has moved at least 17 of its aircraft to Teruel, which were joined by three other planes from different companies, including an Air France Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from Paris, according to The Diary. Among the models that have arrived at the facilities are several wide-body Airbus A330s (with capacity for between 335 and 440 passengers), Airbus A350s and some Boeings. Just like share The medium, this Sunday five planes landed in just over an hour: four A330s from Doha and one A350 from Los Angeles. They all arrived with special flight codes indicating they were traveling without passengers on board. Octavio López, president of the Teruel Airport Consortium, said that the airlines arrive “knowing that in Teruel they will find a safe and prepared place for parking and all the maintenance tasks that their aircraft require.” There are currently about 70 aircraft parked on the Teruel platform, and that number may continue to grow as long as the conflict lasts. Change of plans. Qatar Airways is not the only one affected. Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, operates a very reduced commercial program, and Emirates, from Dubai, also maintains a reduced scheme. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued at the end of February an alert bulletin in which it recommends not operating in the airspace of eleven countries in the region, including Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, at any altitude. Routes between Europe and Asia, which usually cross the Persian Gulf, have been diverted south (via Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Oman) or north (via the Caucasus and Afghanistan), adding between 45 minutes and two hours to each flight. Added to that are interference in GPS signals detected over Lebanon and Oman, which further complicate commercial flights. What happens now? The situation remains very volatile. US President Donald Trump threatened this Sunday with attack Iran’s power plants if the country does not open the Strait of Hormuz, to which the Iranian Army responded warning of possible attacks on US strategic assets in the region. The situation is not yet expected to normalize soon. In fact, Qatar Airways has asked to its passengers not to go to the airports unless they receive official confirmation of their flight, offering date changes or refunds to those who had reservations until March 22. For now, it seems that more planes will continue to arrive in Teruel. Cover image | Jan Rosolino In Xataka | Guess what ubiquitous industry in our lives depends on helium? And now guess where that helium comes from?

India wants to build a mammoth airport for 120 million passengers a year. The problem is that it accumulates years of delays

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India is building one of the most ambitious airport infrastructures on the continent. The Noida International Airport, built in Jewar, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, has the potential to become one of the largest hubs in Asia with a planned maximum capacity of between 60 and 120 million passengers per year. We tell you all the details of this mammoth project. A project with decades of history behind it. The idea of ​​building a large airport in this area has been brewing for years. The original proposal dates back to 2001, when the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath Singh, proposed an aeronautical hub geared towards Taj Mahal tourism. After years of political changes, disputes over the location and administrative stoppages, the project was relaunched in 2014. The central government gave its final approval in 2015, and in November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the first phase. Who builds it and how. The development is carried out by Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) under a public-private partnership model. In 2019, Flughafen Zürich AG, the operating company of Zurich Airport, won the tender to build and manage it for 40 years. Civil construction was awarded in 2022 to Tata Projects Limited, with a stated target of net zero emissions. What will be there when it opens. The first phase includes a terminal (T1) with capacity for 12 million passengers per year and a 3,900-meter runway, already operational. The basic infrastructure is practically ready: control tower, baggage management systems, ten boarding bridges and security services. According to account The Sun, the interior design opts for an open-plan aesthetic with an undulating roof that imitates the flow of a river, large air-conditioned waiting areas, self-check-in kiosks, prayer rooms and children’s areas. There will also be a central area open to the outside with vegetation and shade. A phased deployment until 2050. The airport will grow in four phases. To the first terminal and initial runway, three more terminals and up to six runways in total will be added progressively, reaching a combined capacity of between 60 and 120 million passengers per year by 2050, according to the data collected by The Times India. That would put him in the same league as the Beijing Daxing International Airport either the one in dubai. Its great advantage: the Taj Mahal within reach. Agra, home to the Taj Mahal and which receives up to eight million visitors a year, is now almost four hours’ drive from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. With the new airport, that trip would be reduced to just over two hours. The project is also designed as an alternative to the overcrowded Indira Gandhi, the main hub of the Delhi metropolitan area. Beyond the passengers. The airport also aspires to become an important cargo node for northern India, relying on its proximity to the Delhi-Mumbai Express Corridor and Dedicated Freight Corridors, as point the Time Out medium. The airlines that have already committed. IndiGo and Akasa Air have confirmed operations at the airport, mainly on domestic routes. Among the destinations mentioned are Bombay, Hyderabad and Calcutta. International routes, including possible connections to Zurich or Dubai, are still pending confirmation. Delays, the big problem. The opening was initially planned for 2022, then for September 2024, and later there was talk of October 30 of that year. The works continue and given the history of delays, there is no choice but to wait for a definitive opening date, which should be shortly. Images | Noida International Airport In Xataka | A megastructure was built 1,700 years ago for eternity: today it continues to dominate Sri Lanka

In the 70s Álava left an entire town under its airport. What I didn’t know was that it was hiding a treasure of 5,000 medieval coins.

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He Vitoria airport It may not be the largest, the best connected or the busiest in the country, but it stands out for the volume of merchandise it moves. Last month it exceeded 5,400 tonswhich consolidates it as Aena’s fourth busiest aerodrome, only behind Barajas, El Prat and Zaragoza. If the Alava terminal works, moving cargo, planes and hundreds of thousands of passengers, it is thanks to an old village that ended up buried in the 70s: Otaza. The most curious thing is that he did it with a hidden medieval treasure. The price of growing. In the 1970s, Álava businessmen found themselves with a dilemma. If they wanted to continue growing, they needed better connections, regular flights that would allow them to reach the rest of the metropolises in Spain and Europe. They had the Salburua airfieldinaugurated in 1935, but it did not seem like the best solution, so the technicians had to look for alternatives. And they found her. After evaluating several locations in the region, such as Ullibarri Arrazua. Salvatierra or Zurbano concluded that the best solution was to set up a new aircraft facility on the land of the town of Foronda. A work in record time. The project had the support of the Provincial Council and moved forward with astonishing speed. At least for the deadlines that infrastructures the size of an airport usually handle today. The construction of the aerodrome was approved in 1972 and in 1976 Civil Aviation gave its OK to the first phase. The works, remember The Mailinvolved the construction of a 2,200 x 45 m flight runway, in addition to the operating systems. The work (and procedures) continued to advance at a good pace during the following years. In 1978, the institutional machinery was launched to contract the control tower, accesses and urbanization and just two years later (the January 30, 1980) the ministry officially opened Vitoria Airport to national and international passenger traffic. In April of that same year Iberia inaugurated one of its most important lines, the one that exalts it with Madrid. Sew and sing, right? Not at all. The construction of the terminal encountered a problem: the proximity of a small village that ended up being located 370 meters from the runway. His name: Otaza. The population had a long history and it even had its own church, but it was not what is said to be very populous. It is estimated that at the beginning of the 19th century it hosted only about thirty of people, more or less what there were in 1974, when according to The Mail 26 neighbors lived there. The Álava authorities were therefore faced with a dilemma: What should take priority, the new airfield or a village with a handful of families? And the pickaxe arrived. The expropriation was not what is called simple. Not all the neighbors willingly agreed to leave their homes and in fact there were a few ‘numantinos’ (not many, it is true) who did not leave until the end. Their efforts did not prevent the bulldozers from taking Otaza away. In October 1979, the regional press reported how, after a break and despite not yet having reached a total agreement with the neighbors, the authorities had resumed the demolition work. The Bishopric had fewer objections, which reached an agreement that allowed the village temple to be demolished. The pickaxe had to work little. A few days later, on November 2, the demolition was completed. A town to remember. That was the end of Otaza. Although in its day the town had welcomed dozens of people, had a church and services, the expropriation of the land and the demolition works sealed its fate. Shortly after completing the works, the authorities agreed the disappearance of the council, which is now part of Astegieta. However, as EITB recalls, it was not the only town affected by the works on the new terminal. Antezana of Foronda He also paid a ‘toll’ for Álava to have its own flights. One last surprise. Otaza’s story could have ended there if it weren’t for the fact that shortly after his ‘death’, in April 1980, a family decided to take a walk through the grounds. During the walk, as they passed near the church of San Emeterio and San Celedonio, they found a jar with coins. The piece caught their attention enough to report it to the authorities, who confirmed that it was a curious treasure: more than 5,000 coins of copper and silver minted during the reigns of Alfonso I of Aragon and Alfonso VIIIbetween the 12th and 13th centuries. Today it is known as “the treasure of Otaza”. Images | WikipediaGoogle Earth and Mikelo (Flickr) In Xataka | Barajas needed to improve its roads but a baroque hermitage made it complicated. Solution: put it in a roundabout

a new airport for millions of tourists

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It is not easy to get to Machu Picchu. And it makes sense. The Incas wanted the ancient citadel to be a safe, sheltered place, a bastion sheltered by the Eastern mountain range of southern Peru. The problem is that today Machu Picchu is no longer a remote town but one of the most powerful tourist attractions on the planet. Since 2007 it has been considered one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ and every year it receives hundreds of thousands of visitors, many arriving from other countries after connecting flights and traveling for hours by road or trail. For that to change in Peru they are building an airport that could shoot 200% the flow of visitors in the region. There are those who believe, however, that it will not come for free. And not only because of its cost in hard cash. Its detractors warn of the impact that the infrastructure will have on the environment. What has happened? That Peru is building a new and ambitious airport in the department of Cuzco, more specifically on the outskirts of Chinchero. The project is not entirely new. His works started around 2018 and, if they are fulfilled the latest forecasts from the Government, the terminal will begin operating between the end of 2027 and 2028. The key is in its location. The Chinchero-Cusco International Airport (AICC) will be in the vicinity of the Sacred Valley of the Incasto a few dozen kilometers in a straight line from Machu Picchu. Why’s that? The location of the AICC is not coincidental. Not far from there, in Cusco, the Velasco Astete airfieldwhich in 2025 mobilized slightly more five million of passengers. With the new Chinchero infrastructure, however, the Peruvian authorities want to go one step (or several) further. The objective is to serve between 8 and 12 million annual users and consolidate itself as a regional reference. “It’s a hub that has to be developed in the south, in such a way that, after Jorge Chávez (Lima airport), Cusco is the connection center of South America”, claims Paola Marím, head of the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. How will it affect tourism? A few days ago the BBC dedicated an article to the future airport in which it states that its objective is to attract 200% more visitors to the area, which would help boost the tourism sector, but would also aggravate the pressure that the Sacred Valley already suffers. That percentage (200%) is striking, but it is even more powerful when two pieces of information are remembered. First, in recent years the Alejandro Velasco Astete aerodrome has already seen its demand increase exponentially. Last October, the Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation (Corpac) actually calculated that the terminal would close in 2025 with a “historical record” of passengers: more than five million of users, 28.4% more than before the pandemic. Is there more? Yes. The second piece of information that helps to understand the importance of the Chinchero airport is found a few dozen kilometers away, in Machu Picchu, a tourist hub that is already suffering the effects of touristification. Despite the Incas’ attempts to turn it into a remote citadel, today it is a tourist icon where hundreds and hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world pass through every year. According to the Andina Agency, only in October did it touch the 150,000 visitorswhich brought the forecast of closing 2025 with more than 1.5 million of tourists, thus exceeding pre-covid levels. That’s good, right? It depends on who you ask. In recent months Machu Picchu has been news precisely because of its saturation, a problem reminiscent of the one suffered by Mount Fuji (Japan), Giza (Egypt) or European tourist centers such as Florence either Amsterdam. Years ago the Inca citadel was close to sneak onto UNESCO’s list of endangered heritage. And that has not been the only wake-up call for the risks facing the site. In 2025, the General Comptroller’s Office warned of the “tourist overload” who suffers from Machu Picchu and just a few months ago New7Wornders warned to Peru that, if it does not correct the situation, the ancient Inca town could lose its label of “New Wonder of the World.” The truth is that the Government has made an effort to protect the citadel, reinforcing its security and the control and sale of tickets. Is it the only problem? No. Right now getting to Machu Picchu is not exactly easy. BBC reporter Alexandra Marvar remember that when he visited the citadel he had to get into a taxi, a train and finally a bus. And that was just the final stretch. Before, foreigners usually take two flights: one international, to Lima, and another national that takes them to Cusco. With the AICC that will change radically, but the project has generated controversy. And not only because of its tourist impact or the delays that has been accumulating. As remember Marvar There are operators, guides and indigenous communities who consider that the new airport is not a good idea. The reason: its probable cultural and environmental impact. In fact, the project is already altering areas such as Urquillos, where there are cornfields that are being sold and developed. Beyond the loss of identity, there is concern about how this increase in pressure will affect infrastructure or even the water supply. These are concerns that come from long ago (before the pandemic, signatures were collected to stop the project), but they are gaining strength as the works progress. Images | Google Earth, Cynthia Winward (Unsplash) and Jackie Hope (Unsplash) In Xataka | Japan has begun canceling festivals designed to attract tourists. The reason: they attract too many tourists

The emir of Qatar travels in a private jet so big it helped Sardinia airport upgrade

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In 2021, the airport Olbia Costa Smeralda In Sardinia, it undertook work to expand its runway to be able to receive long-distance flights, thus opening the door for international airlines to bring a greater volume of tourists to the island. However, the inauguration of this work was somewhat special. As and how did he count Luxury Launchesthe ceremony inauguration of the new track It starred the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, but he did not do so by unveiling any commemorative plaque or cutting any ribbon. He did it bravely: landing his huge private jeteither. Who said fear? A private jet so big that it changes the category of the airport In the summer of 2021, the works on the Sardinian airport had just been completed. In an attempt to escape the scorching heat of Doha, the emir wanted to spend a few days of relax in the Mediterranean. Neither quick nor lazy, the president gave the order to embark to his crowded entourage who usually accompanies him on his private plane, and they headed to Sardinia. The Boeing 747-8, in addition to being one of the largest airplanes in the worldis the plane that Qatar Amiri Flight, the airline owned by the Qatari emirate, has assigned as a private plane for the top leader of the country. The emir’s plane, valued at around 370 million euros, has impressive dimensions, being 76 meters long, more than 68 meters wide and weighing close to 450 tons at takeoff. Qatar Boeing 747-8 Amiri Flight. The “private jet” of the emir of Qatar Olbia airport was already a key point due to its capacity to move almost 1.8 million passengers in 2008, operating mainly with domestic flights and some destinations in Europe. The infrastructure had just been expanded, lengthening the main runway by about 300 meters to a length of 2,740 meters, the safety zones were expanded and the taxiway was improved, which speeds up the approach to and departure from the runway. In principle, there would be no problem for the huge private jet to land. There was only one small detail: the track had not been tested previously and, in fact, It wasn’t even approved so that planes the size of the emir’s 747-8 could land there. Unimportant details. Olbia Costa Smeralda airport in Sardinia after its expansion As the airlines had not yet scheduled any long-haul international routes from that airport, the airport authorities took advantage of the visit of your important tourist to officially certify the ability to operate this type of flights that use aircraft such as the Boeing 747, Boeing 777, the Airbus A330, the Airbus A340. If the emir could land with your private jet loaded with his entourage, international tourists could too. The operation was carried out without incident, confirming that both the length and the paving of the runway were adequate to support the operations of these air giants. According what was published through the local environment The New Sardegnathanks to the inaugural maneuver of the private jet of the Emir of Qatar, in November of that same year the first flights connecting Sardinia with Los Angeles, China and Singapore with direct flights were inaugurated. The emir of Qatar: main interested party Even if all precautions had been taken during the landing operation, being the first aircraft of its kind to use the runway always entails some risks. However, the emir of Qatar was especially interested in international planes being able to land on that runway. full of tourists. The reason is easy to guess. The most prestigious hotels, marinas and resorts on the Emerald Coast belong to Emerald Holdingwholly controlled by the Qatar Investment Authority. Hotel Cala Di Volpe in Sardinia. One of the five-star hotels of the Emir of Qatar We are talking about a series of five-star hotels that offer luxury stays on the shores of the Mediterranean for clients as select as the Emir of Qatar. Therefore, it is not strange that the highest representative of this hospitality empire opens the way for millionaires from all over the world to use the new runway to land with their private jets or arrive accommodated in the seats business of international airlines. In Xataka | A single millionaire spent the equivalent of 10,000 tourists on his luxury vacation in Mallorca: the Emir of Qatar Image | Wikimedia Commons (Khamenei.ir, Mehmet Mustafa Celik, John Murphy), Marriott

Gibraltar airport was born as a British military bastion. Now Spain has imposed a veto that will be very expensive

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Since its construction during the Second World War on the narrow strip that separates the Rock from the isthmus, the Gibraltar airport It has been much more than a landing strip: an RAF military enclave, a nerve center for British logistics in the Mediterranean and, at the same time, a constant source of diplomatic friction with Spain. Today, and after Brexit, that old tension resurfaces in new forms. More restrictions. The United Kingdom has confirmed that the restrictions imposed by Spain on the overflight of British military aircraft remain in force, affecting flights arriving or departing from the Royal Air Force (RAF) air base in Gibraltar. Despite this, the British Ministry of Defense insists that the measure has no operational impact and that the base continues to operate as a sovereign military airfield under full authority of the United Kingdom. So he reiterated it Under Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, Alistair Carns, in response to a series of parliamentary questions posed by Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire, who asked for clarification on the logistical and financial consequences of this situation. Carns claimed that RAF aircraft simply They trace alternative routes to avoid Spanish territorial airspace, in accordance with the restrictions imposed by Madrid, and that Gibraltar’s operational capacity has not been compromised. The big doubt. Nevertheless, admitted that no formal study has been carried out on the economic costs derived from diverting flights through other international air information regions, despite the increase in fuel costs and flight time that this implies. The dimension of the blockade. The debate about the military overflights reflects a historical conflict between London and Madrid that has survived all diplomatic stages, from the Cold War to Brexit. Spain, relying on international law and its claim of sovereignty over Gibraltar, maintains that all British military activity in the area must comply with its air traffic rules. For the Spanish Government, overflight restrictions are not a sanction, but a legitimate expression of its jurisdiction over the airspace it considers its own. An RAF Hawk at the airport What do the English say? From the British perspective, however, these limitations are a inheritance of tensions that surround the sovereignty of the Rock and a technical rather than political obstacle. In the Westminster Parliament, the issue continues to be a recurring theme, periodically reactivated by particularly combative deputies who see every Spanish gesture as a threat to the British integrity of the enclave. To them, successive governments of the United Kingdom have always responded in the same way: reaffirming their full sovereignty over Gibraltar and the right of its inhabitants to self-determination, without opening any loophole for territorial negotiations with Spain. A Lockheed Hudson of No. 233 Squadron RAF lands at Gibraltar in August 1942 Gibraltar after Brexit. Brexit introduced a new framework of relations that fully affected Gibraltar’s position. After months of negotiationSpain, the United Kingdom and the European Commission reached an agreement that established a joint system customs and border control. Under this pact, Spain will assume controls on the European side at the Peñón port and airport, which will allow more fluid transit to destinations within the European Union. However, the military issue was left out of those understandings. The Liberal Democrat Helen Maguire brought this sensitive point back to the table by asking whether the impact of restrictions Spanish reports on the operations and costs of the British Ministry of Defence. Carns’ response was blunt: air limitations continue, aircraft avoid Spanish space and the base maintains its sovereign status. But, as we said before, the absence of an official calculation on additional spending reflects political will to publicly minimize any consequences derived from the dispute, preserving the narrative of autonomy and absolute control over Gibraltar. Strategic impact. Although London maintains that the Spanish veto does not interfere In its operational freedom, the diversion of military routes involves a considerable logistical effort. Instead of crossing the Iberian Peninsula, aircraft must border it by the Atlanticprolonging the journeys from the British Isles to Gibraltar and complicating supply at a point of strategic value for British operations in the Mediterranean and North Africa. The RAF base in Gibraltar, next to the port used by the Royal Navy, constitutes an essential axis for surveillance, supply and military transit missions to Africa and the Middle East. The United Kingdom has not revealed figures on the economic impact of the diversions, but parliamentary sources acknowledge that fuel and planning costs are inevitable, especially in rapid deployment exercises or emergencies. Even so, the Ministry of Defense avoid recognizing officially these damages, aware that admitting them would imply granting Spain a political advantage in a matter where each diplomatic gesture has symbolic weight. A geopolitical symbol. If you also want, the conflict over Gibraltar’s airspace condenses centuries of friction between both nations and is projected as a microdemonstration of the balance of power in the Mediterranean. A pesar de los acuerdos pos-Brexit y de la cooperación en materia fronteriza y económica, la defensa del Peñón continúa siendo un terreno de maximum political sensitivity. The RAF base and the port of Gibraltar are more than simple military infrastructure: they represent the last vestige of British projection in southern Europe, a symbolic platform of sovereignty in disputed territory. The Spanish restrictions They do not prevent the operation of that presence, but they require a constant effort of logistical adaptation and a careful diplomatic balance. In this context, the United Kingdom maintains its usual line: denying any operational impact and reaffirming that Gibraltar continues to be, both in the air and on land, an unbreakable piece of its strategic identity. Image | Dicklyon, Harry Mitchell In Xataka | The Strait of Gibraltar was very different eight million years ago. So different that there were two In Xataka | In World War II, Hitler gave Spain the keys to Gibraltar. He did not have what Franco demanded in return

In the midst of the battle between Ryanair and Aena, there is a Spanish airport that is suffering more than any other: Valladolid

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Villanubla airport has lost 60.7% of its passengers so far in 2025, accumulating only 59,689 travelers between January and September. The figure contrasts greatly with the rest of the airports in Castilla y León, which are growing at double digits, and makes the Valladolid airport the great victim of the fight between the Irish airline and Aena. The trigger of the crisis. Ryanair left Valladolid on March 28 after accuse Aena of applying “excessive rates”. The Irish airline, which had been the main operator of the airport, confirmed in September that I wouldn’t return either during the winter season. Without their presence, the airport has been practically disconnected: in September it transported only 6,037 passengers, 58.5% less than the same month in 2024. A solo drama. While Villanubla collapses, the other three airports in the community they rise strongly. León increases its passengers by 18.6% to 56,925, Salamanca grows by 17.5% to 21,736 and even Burgos, with only 2,413 travelers, achieves a modest increase of 1.4%. The Valladolid airport, which depended largely on the influx of Ryanair, has seen how the fight between this airline and the airport manager has taken a toll on its usual traffic, unlike the rest of the provinces in the community. What’s behind. The conflict between Ryanair and Aena has been going on for years. The Irish company has been around for a long time eliminating seats in many regional airports as a lever to negotiate discounts on airport taxes. Aena, for its part, has maintained a firm position in its pricing policy, also aware that giving in to pressure from Ryanair would set a precedent that would not suit the rest of the airlines. Valladolid has been caught in the middle of this battle. The cascading impact. The 60.7% drop in passengers not only affects the airport, but also hits the entire provincial economy. Fewer travelers means fewer connections for local businesses, less tourism and a greater perception of isolation. The 4,647 operations registered until September represent a 14.1% less than in 2024which means that other airlines have not covered the gap left by Ryanair as has happened at other airports. The only escape route. He return of Vueling This same month of October could mark a turning point, especially taking into account the seven months of operational drought at the airport. However, it remains to be seen if its offer of routes and frequencies will be enough to reverse the collapse. Cover image | Lucas da Costa e Silva In Xataka | Using the WiFi on the train in Spain is the worst. The question is why there is so much difference compared to the rest of Europe

Traveling by plane with a monstrous battery sounds great. Until airport safety thinks

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Travel salts and do fast checkeo: molts, clothing, pajamas, jacket in case it refreshes (which you will end up not using), loaders and loaders The Power Bank of 30,000 mAh with which you can load your mobile and that of all your friends a couple of times. You keep everything, you arrive at the airport and surprise: You can’t pass with such a large external batteryso they requisition and lose it. Indeed, in the same way that we can only carry liquid boats up to 100 milliliters In a transparent plastic bag up to a liter of capacityexternal batteries also have limits. Knowing them will help us not to take an unpleasant surprise as soon as you start the holidays Let’s talk about airplanes. IATA (International Air Transport Association) is the global commercial organization that groups the majority of the world’s airlines. It represents more than 350 airlines in 120 countries (that is, 80% of world air traffic) and among its many tasks is the promotion of safety standards. It is in the 66th edition of the IATA DANGEROUS GOODS REGULATIONS where the limits of lithium and ion-lithium batteries are collected (PDF). Image | Xataka The limits. According to the IATA, we can carry in the hand luggage, and always in the hand luggage, not in the winery, a maximum two external batteries of up to 100 Whing each. The same is secreted by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) (PDF). IATA terminology, however, is something confusing because it considers the Power Banks as spare/loose batteries, and of those we can take up to 20. However, if they are non -spillable batteries, they must be 12V or less, 100 whi or less and the limit is two units per person. If it is a replacement battery of between 100 and 160 WH, we can take up to two that the operator approves it and if it is greater than 160 WH, we most likely cannot transport it, as the EASA exposes. So, and to go on insurance: Maximum capacity: 100 Wh Maximum units per person: two Power Banks. Image | Gomi Forgive, Wh? In the Tech world we are accustomed to talking about the ability of a battery in terms of MAH (milliamp tell us about (watts time). If the brand of our Power Bank gives us the data, better than better. If not, we can do the MAH> WH conversion with this formula: (mAh) x (v) / 1000 = Wh Power Bank usually have a 3.7 volt voltage, so in the case of an external 20,000 mAh battery we would be talking about 74 Wh. That leads us to the following conclusion: if we want to carry the Power Bank on an airplane, the maximum theoretical capacity must be, at most, 27,000 mAh, although it may be tightening the rope too much. With a battery of 20-25,000 mAh we should go more than served, so, again, to go on insurance on an plane: Maximum capacity: 20,000-25,000 mAh. Maximum units per person: two Power Banks. Image | Gomi But one thing. This is a general rule and airlines usually accept it or adapt it, but we have doubts the ideal is to speak with the operator and comment our particular case. It is also possible that There are concrete standards depending on the country or the airline. For example, Hong Kong’s laws They prohibit loading the Power Banks using the USB take of the seats or loading devices with the external battery during the flight. South Korean operators force To take the battery at all times with us (not in a backpack, not in the upper trunk, with us) and companies like China Airlines and Singapore Airlines They prohibit The use of them during the flight. China’s case is particular. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued an urgent notice whereby, as of June 28, 2025, passengers are prohibited from climbing the plane With batteries without the 3C certification (CCC). This is a mandatory security brand, similar to the European EC, which guarantees the quality and safety of Chinese products and that applies to both those imported and those manufactured in China. The thing is that, for the moment, it only applies to domestic flights. And in the trains? Nor in the Renfe conditions nor on the Adif website any mention is made to external batteries. Renfe, in fact, considers dangerous objects to firearms, white weapons, sports and sharp work instruments. Weapons could behave if we carry the relevant license or accreditations, as well as ammunition. What we cannot carry are sharp objects such as knives or stabs, paint ball guns and explosive, flammable, chemical or toxic substances. They do not specify anything about external batteries. They do not do it either Iro and Ouigowhich have similar restrictions and in no case refer to external batteries. Anyway, from Xataka we have contacted the three operators to get out of doubt and update in the case of receiving an answer. Image | Tonny Zhong

Vigo Airport has released a digital tower “at the forefront of efficiency.” Has lasted four days

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Announced as “the avant -garde of efficiency and safety in the air sector”, Vigo airport has begun working with “the first digital tower of Spain.” Four days later, the work has stopped for a first problem. And, in the background, the doubts about its real effectiveness, the position of workers and the shadow of some layoffs. Vigo, now with Digital Tower. It was announced by Oscar Puente, Minister of Transportation, with the words we collected above. In a tweeton June 17, the politician pointed out that Vigo received a strong change in his way of working. The project started with a Vigo-Madrid flight and was qualified by bridge as “a technological milestone” that places the facilities of Vigo “at the forefront.” Four days later, the entire system has had to stop by a Error caused at 31 minutes to go into operation. What is a digital tower? A Digital Tower For air control, it comes to replace traditional control towers. In the latter, controllers work at great height to control by computer systems and their own view air traffic. In this way, it is always about choosing the best option to manage the entry and exit of flights into the maximum safety conditions. A digital tower uses all these computer systems but changes the “windows” of the screens control tower in which what the cameras see are recorded. In addition, it has a multitude of sensors and microphones to simulate with maximum precision the same sensations as an air controller has in a traditional tower. Is it better? According to the words of the Minister of Transportation, yes. AND According to Aenaalso. They ensure that the videoWall that forms 13 55 -inch monitors represent a 360º image of what is seen in the tower. This allows them to have visibility of areas that are covered in the traditional tower. The installation, as we say, has fixed cameras and two mobiles. As well as “speakers that reproduce the ambient sound of the microphones installed in the flight field.” In addition, AENA points out that “they provide a series of operational and security advantages” although it does not give examples of them. And emphasize, because it is important, “maintaining the same number of controllers.” War foot. That last part of the message is important. In social networks, numerous accounts that expose the feeling of aerial controllers have been radically opposed to the implementation of these “digital towers.” The well -known account @Controlerators in x He qualifies the digital tower of “basement with cameras designed to control several airports”. And that is the great reset that has raised among the workers. In the environment, the feeling that operations of the Airport of A Coruña can be replaced with the air management of the Viguesa Digital Tower. Alvedro (A Coruña) and Peinador (Vigo) share a company managing air control services (Saerco) so A reduction in the number of workers is feared For a remote control of both airports. In The voice of Galicia They even point out that AENA neither confirms or denies that A Coruña workers can be replaced by the new digital control tower. BNG and the Popular Party They are already working to paralyze the project. “Quite obvious defects”. In addition to the works that may be in the air, the Union of Air Controllers (USCA) ensures that Aena has rejected its request for include “high definition cameras” And they emphasize that the system does not improve the traditional because “They are not clearly appreciated Small aircraft. “They are, in the words of the” quite evident defects “union. They emphasize in words to Vigo lighthouse that the system presents operability restrictions in specific weather situations and that “would entail the imposition of time restrictions that would prevent the simultaneity of visual flights (VFR) and instrumental (IFR).” That is, for the union, a problem for “urgent health transport, customs surveillance, fire extinguishing services or maritime rescue, as well as schools or private flights.” Many doubts. Although Aena points out that “currently, more than 30 European airports have implanted that technology and is operating from a digital control tower. Outside Europe, initiatives are being developed in Australia, Canada and the United States airports,” the truth is that the operation of these digital towers raises doubts. In fact, tests in Spain are being carried out for years. In 2023 problems were already reported In the Vigo airport digital tower related to the imprecise detection of small aircraft. The project was approved in 2019, it was awarded in 2020 and until this year it has not been launched with the first flights. Something similar has happened in Menorca, where it is also being tested with a digital tower that At the end of 2022 he also reported problems security This air control system It should be underway in 2021 But for now he has not exceeded the evidence and has ended up being Vigo the city that has been awarded the first “digital control” of a flight in Spain. Joy, yes, has lasted four days. Photo | Enrique Dans and Aena In Xataka | We have been waiting for years at airports for years. Tiktok’s “airport theory” believes that it has been a mistake

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