The rescue of the airline Plus Ultra LAneas Areas by the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (Sepi), in charge of managing the rescue fund for strategic companies and which has had a president in office for a year, has surprised the air sector, one of the most affected by the pandemic and that doubts the strategic weight of a company that last year, before the health crisis broke out, only handled 170,000 passengers.
In 2018 it did not reach 100,000. For comparison, Air Europa, the other airline rescued by the Government (it was granted 435 million) transported more than 19 million passengers in 2019. “It is not well understood what strategic weight this airline has, when there are many that are going through difficulties and that do have relevance,” says a source in the sector.
The company, which posted losses in 2019 of four million euros, argues that they expected to make a profit in 2020, before the pandemic broke out. “That we are small does not mean that we do not deserve that help. The amount granted to Air Europa has nothing to do with ours. We have defended this aid and no one has given it away,” Fernando GarcÃa Manso told this newspaper , President of Plus Ultra LÃneas Areas.
The government authorized the rescue of this company on Tuesday, in addition to that of Duro Felguera. Among the reasons for this aid is “the importance of air transport in our country, its contribution to tourism and, therefore, to the economy.” Plus Ultra Air Lines employs 345 people (65% in ERTE), it was created in 2015 and covers routes between Madrid and Tenerife with Latin America. 75% of their business, as confirmed by GarcÃa Manso, are regular lines to countries such as Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela, and 25% are charter flights for other companies.
“We have a strategic value as part of the tourism sector. We have suffered the impact because the countries to which we fly have been closed practically since the pandemic began,” laments the president.
Several European governments have approved public aid to their flag airlines. This is the case of Air France on the part of the French Executive, or Lufthansa, on the part of the German, or KLM. In any case “companies with an infinitely greater weight in their respective countries”, say these sources.
No remote
La Sepi, which brings together the public business sector, He has been without a president for more than a year and a half, Vicente Fernández Guerrero, who was appointed by the acting Government of Pedro Sánchez, was forced to resign after being indicted for the award of the Aznalcollar mine in October 2019.
It has not been replaced yet. The position is currently held by the vice president, Bartolomà © Lora. The Government, which is in charge of executing this appointment, assures that the fact that the body is without a president “does not imply a reduction in its functioning.”
This was pointed out by the Minister Spokesperson, Maria Jesus Montero, a few weeks ago. He added that the delay in the appointment is due to “the search for the best possible person for the position”. From the Sepi they limit themselves to saying that the decision depends on the Government.
Nonetheless, the agency continues to grant millionaire ransoms. So far three have been authorized, to the airlines Air Europa and Plus Ultra and to Duro Felguera, although more than a dozen requests have been received. Many are from companies in the tourism sector, one of those that is suffering the most from the impact of the pandemic.
Last help
The last aid has been the Room Mate chain, which requested 53 million from this fund last week in view of the critical situation it is experiencing due to the collapse in employment. Sepi now has to study the viability plan presented by the chain to decide whether or not to grant it the aid.
Before that, in addition to Air Europa, Ãvoris, Barcelo’s travel division, which has requested 320 million, the Hotusa chain, with 190 million requested, Hotelatelier, owner of the so-called Petit Palace, the Abades group or Wamos, from the Nautalia group. The tourist and transport group Julià also asked for 37 million.
The Government approved the Fund for Support to the Solvency of Strategic Companies in order to give financial support to solvent companies that are experiencing difficulties due to the pandemic and that, in addition, are considered strategic for the national productive fabric .
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