Editorial: El País

• The airline holding IAG has renounced for the second time the purchase of Air Europa due to the demands of the European Commission.
• The conditions imposed by the Commission would have forced IAG to make numerous route concessions, especially between the Peninsula, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and Latin America.
• The renunciation puts an end to the expectations that Madrid-Barajas Airport could become an international hub comparable to Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam, or Frankfurt.
• The cancellation of the purchase also raises uncertainty about the future of Air Europa, the second largest Spanish airline.
• Despite its lucrative recent performance, Air Europa still owes 475 million euros to the Spanish State.

Conclusion: This decision could attract financial investors prioritizing profitability over route map, underlining the significance of Spanish airports connectivity consideration in any future sale operation.

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