Costa Blanca

The Valencian Government is talking with Jet2, Vueling, and easyJet to find out about their plans for growth in the Valencian Community in 2025

The Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Marián Cano, has held a series of meetings with the airlines Jet2 Holidays, Vueling and easyJet in the framework of Fitur with the aim of being interested in an increase in the number of routes from the airports Valencians in the next season, in which air connectivity is expected to increase by 8% according to the data collected by the technicians of the Valencian Institute of Tourism Technologies (Invattur).

These companies are committed to keeping a good trend and working to fully develop the region’s airports. This follows a record year when over 28 million passengers flew into the area.

“Connections are essential for tourism, and the Valencian Government keeps in regular contact with airlines to understand their needs,” the minister said. “This includes expanding the Manises and Alicante-Elche airports, which the Council believes cannot be delayed.”

During the talks with the airlines, a key topic was the analysis of the British market and what to expect for summer 2025. Cano highlighted that the British market is very important. Recent data shows that the United Kingdom is the main source of visitors for the Valencian Community, with over 2.8 million British visitors arriving from January to November last year, which is an 11.3% increase compared to 2023.

Jet2 is a budget airline and travel company that provides affordable trips and vacation packages. Jet2.com was started in 2002, with its first flight taking place in 2003 between Leeds and Manchester. In 2007, it introduced its tour operator, Jet2holidays, which has 11,700 workers. It has 120 planes and 12 bases in the UK, plus two in Spain. The Alicante base opened in 2013, and the Tenerife South base opened in 2019.

This airline supports the ‘Jet2 Net Zero’ plan for environmental responsibility that started in 2022. All its land activities do not produce carbon emissions, and its buildings in the UK use renewable energy. This sustainability plan applies to all its providers, including hotels. Their website has a list of 800 sustainable hotels in a part called ‘Certified Sustainable Hotels.’ Customers can choose hotels that follow the official rules of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Jet2 airline will open a new base in Luton next April. From there, it will offer trips to Alicante, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Reus, and Girona.

EasyJet is a British airline that operates from London Luton Airport. It began operating in 1995 and is the second biggest airline in the UK by passenger numbers each year. It is also one of the top airlines in Europe.

This airline offers flights from Valencia and Alicante in the Valencian Community. Last year, this airline started operations at Alicante-Elche airport to mark its 25th anniversary there.

Vueling Airlines started in 2004 in Barcelona. Since then, it has grown quickly, creating many routes to carry millions of people each year and connecting about 30 countries. A team of over 4,600 people works hard to lead the Spanish market and focuses on innovation and close connections in their operations.

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Man arrested in Benidorm for exploiting unauthorised immigrants

The National Police arrested a man in Benidorm on suspicion of violating workers’ rights. The suspect hired undocumented immigrants for construction jobs and then threatened to alert authorities about their condition in order to exploit them.

The police inquiry began after they received information about the potential hiring of illegal immigrants in construction. Following early enquiries, it was determined that numerous nationals were working on a villa construction site in Benidorm, the majority of them without work or residency permits. Apparently, the employer who recruited the workers did not pay them and threatened to denounce them for unlawful employment.

Thus, the investigators’ initial steps concentrated on ascertaining the workers’ working circumstances and validating the identity of the person in charge of the hiring.

During surveillance by National Police personnel, it was discovered that a total of 15 people worked on the building site, ten of them were illegal. The primary person in charge of the project was also recognised.

The main suspect’s tactic consisted of continuing to hire persons who were in Spain illegally to work on the construction site, threatening to report them for their irregular status if they sought a salary.

Once the suspect’s illicit activity was proven, he was arrested for allegedly violating workers’ rights.

At the time of the arrest, an investigation of the construction site discovered a lack of needed safety equipment. Seven workers were found as working without proper personal protective equipment, putting their physical safety at risk.

Investigators also discovered that the building lacked the required building permit, indicating that it was not authorised to carry out the activity.

The detainee was taken before the Benidorm Investigating Court.

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Two men arrested for drug trafficking in Benidorm

According to police sources Yesterday, Friday 21st March, two men were arrested in Benidorm (Alicante) on suspicion of drug trafficking in a pub in the city’s English district, where they allegedly hid the drugs in fire extinguishers and cisterns in the establishment’s toilets.

During the raid, officers discovered 85 packets MDMA, ecstasy, cocaine, and marijuana. Quique Tortosa, spokeswoman for Benidorm Local Police, said that the drugs were “hidden in fire extinguishers, toilet cisterns,” and under the establishment’s cash register. The arrested persons were allegedly protecting the drugs inside the premises, and officers recovered the cash they were carrying, which appeared to be “the proceeds of sales transactions,” Tortosa explained.

The operation is part of the Benidorm Local Police Response and Prevention Group’s daily inspections of the city’s leisure establishments. Themen have been turned over to the National Police for any required investigations.

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Car thief arrested in Aspe

A 35-year-old thief has been arrested for a succession of vehicle break-ins on the streets of the Alicante town of Aspe.

The man, a Spanish national, was apprehended by the Civil Guard after an investigation was initiated in response to an anomalous increase in this type of crime in the municipality.

The suspect employed a modus operandi based on observation. “He would steal valuables by breaking windows or exploiting unlocked cars when no one was present,” the police explained.

The burglaries persisted without interruption, and they even obtained access to a video that a witness had captured, in which a man was observed tampering with the interior of a vehicle.

The suspect, a criminal with a history of similar offences, was identified by the authorities as a result of the images. Simultaneously, investigators identified that certain stolen items were being advertised on online trading platforms, which expedited the investigation.

The operation was successfully concluded with the detection of the individual and the recovery of numerous stolen items that were being sold online, thanks to the cooperation of neighbours and the efforts of the officers. A transverse flute, a violin, and numerous radio transmitters were among the items.

The suspect was ultimately apprehended at his residence, where additional items were confiscated, such as digital storage devices and eyeglasses. All of these items have been deposited in official custody at the court’s disposal, pending potential identification.

The detainee has been presented before Novelda Investigating Court No. 1, which has ordered his release on bail.