More than a hub

"As political structures and prioritize gave Madrid airport , it was thought that the purchase and relaunch as a driver of Spanair at Barcelona hub would be a good solution"

In late January of last year , days after the failure of Spanair (the end of the company's operations acquired by a group of Catalan businessmen with financial support from the Government which sought to make Barcelona an important distributor of air traffic ) , Francesc -Marc Álvaro published an article in which rhetorically asked if we were (also ) than a hub . The answer was clear: the sad collapse of Spanair had highlighted the economic and political impotence of the Catalan society . As political structures gave and give priority to the Madrid airport , it was thought that the purchase and relaunch as a driver of Spanair at Barcelona hub would be a good solution. It was not , and we lost more bells and bulls in the operation. Among other reasons , because Qatar Airways , which had saved the company acquire a significant percentage , was back for the last time pressures Spanish , as openly acknowledged later Akbar al- Baker , its top executive . Madrid Airport , the apparatus of the state and Iberia could not hide satisfaction: clear victory.

Nearly two years have passed and the situation is surprisingly investing by leaps and bounds . Today is having a hub at an airport is not a guarantee of connectivity and growth. In the case of Madrid, the structural crisis in which Iberia is the air - kicks - sic commitment to a lavish terminal (T4 ) dedicated exclusively to serve as the hub for Lineas Aéreas de España , which has already been passed in value by customers as a low- cost EasyJet , for example. I found these last months at Barcelona airport has had more passengers than Madrid, for the first time in history .

The crisis of hubs, but not limited to Madrid Air France - KLM group has made public the issues of costs that generates its dual hub Paris- Amsterdam and mergers of American companies ( the last US - American Airlines) are also leading to the abandonment of centers connection very active until four days ago . Furthermore , the audience appreciates not having to make transfers on their journey , and the model of the airlines that want to succeed is mainly point to point , not to the intermediate hub . Even in the case of intercontinental destinations , the coming into operation of aircraft means very efficient in terms of fuel ( Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 ) will connect distant destinations at a cost point to point passenger / kilometer pathway reasonable hub by large plane .

And what happened in Barcelona? Well, that does not give any preferential treatment - monopoly - read a particular company , tourism demand , leading cruise port in the world after the Florida - fairs - and - business has brought new companies want to establish , and to increase that it already had presence , as Vueling , which is growing , and with great success.

Appear to have lamented that a century of political and economic powerlessness Catalan society , but only two years ago. Things are changing in politics and economics, and in record time . We can not rule out anything, on the contrary, every day we are better able to believe that we will be more than a hub.