Costa Blanca
Usage of Alicante’s “Pick up by Appointment” of unwanted household goods increases by 29%

Thanks to Netial’s appointment-based service, a total of 2,561 items were collected from the streets between January 19th and February 19th by the Alicante City Council and Netial, the company that provides the cleaning and refuse collection service. This figure is in stark contrast to the 1,981 items that were removed in December, a 29% increase. The “Let’s Make Alicante Cleaner” campaign, which was initiated on January 16th, was intended to involve the public in the maintenance of Alicante’s public spaces and streets. Subsequently, this figure was achieved.
Manuel Villar, the Councillor for Street Cleaning and Waste Management, expressed his appreciation for the “positive response to the campaign and the collaboration of the people of Alicante on such a necessary issue as requesting the collection of belongings from Netial via WhatsApp on the website www.tuhacesalicante.com, which has had a great influence on the awareness campaign we are running.”
The collection of possessions increased by 29% from 1,981 in December to 2,561 in February through Netial’s notification or appointment service, as compared to December 2024.
This service is designed to prevent the abandonment of personal belongings in dumpsters or on the street, thereby maintaining the cleanliness of municipal streets and preventing large objects from obstructing public spaces.
Using this appointment-based service, the City Council and Netial removed 23,036 items from public streets in 2024. The total number of items collected on the street without an appointment is significantly higher. Consequently, one of the primary objectives of this campaign is to motivate residents to utilise this service more frequently and to refrain from leaving furniture and appliances on the street without any prior notification.
Contact via telephone or text message
This service is a specific emphasis of the “Let’s Make Alicante Cleaner” campaign, and it is available to citizens at no cost for the disposal of furniture, appliances, mattresses, or any other large items.
In reality, one of the messages and its corresponding poster pertain to the collection of belongings and refer to the appointment service for the collection of belongings. The poster includes the telephone number to contact via WhatsApp: 670 086 411. Additionally, this service may be accessed by dialling the toll-free number 900 729 729.
Netial offers the service on a daily basis, and the procedure is straightforward. The initial stage involves sending a WhatsApp message or making a phone call, while the subsequent step involves processing the request. The date and time of collection will be determined during this phase. Please be advised that items must be deposited in the adjacent container on the street, which is provided by the citizen, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the designated day.
Citizen collaboration
Netial is requesting public assistance to prevent the obstruction of access to the container by objects that have been deposited in its vicinity.
“The free household goods collection service is an efficient solution for managing this type of waste, while also promoting the habit of caring for one’s environment,” according to the company that provides cleaning and refuse collection services in Alicante.
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Costa Blanca
Aena closed the first quarter of 2025 with a profit of 301.3 million euros

Aena’s net profit for the first quarter of 2025 was €301.3 million, which represents an increase from €261 million in the same period of the previous year. The gross operating profit was €643.6 million, with a margin of 48.6%. In comparison to 2024 (€581.1 million), this figure indicates a 10.8% increase.
The total consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2025 was €1,325.6 million, a 7.5% increase from the same period in the previous year. Aeronautical revenue was €683.6 million, while commercial revenue was €441.1 million.
The Brazilian Airports Block (BOAB) consolidation generates €46.8 million in revenue and €25.7 million in EBITDA. The Aena Group (Spain, London-Luton, and Aena Brazil) expanded its passenger traffic to 78.3 million, a 4.9% increase from 2024.
The number of passengers at Spanish airports increased by 4.7%, reaching 63.6 million. The timing of Easter, which occurred in March last year and April this year, as well as the fact that last year was a leap year, has an impact on the comparative figures with the same period in 2024.
Investments
The investment, which totalled 203.1 million euros between January and March 2025, was primarily directed towards the enhancement of operational safety and airport facilities.
In the first quarter of 2025, Aena Group’s OPEX, which encompasses procurement, personnel, and other operating expenses, increased to €691.9 million from €659.9 million in the same period of 2024. The evolution of these expenses is indicative of the group’s personnel expenses (+10.7%) and the Spanish network’s expenses for items such as electricity (+22.4%), maintenance (+9.5%), and security (+8.3%).
The year-on-year increase in other operating expenses at the Spanish airport network was €17.1 million, which is 4.7% higher than the corresponding period from January to March 2024, excluding the impact of energy. The consolidated group’s net financial debt-to-EBITDA ratio decreased to 1.37 times from €5,498 million for the full year 2024, as the Aena Group’s consolidated accounting net financial debt stood at €4,886 million.
The first quarter of 2025 saw solid cash generation. The net cash generated from operating activities increased to €820.4 million from €723.7 million in the first quarter of 2024.
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Costa Blanca
Luxury in El Campello: Balinese beds on the beaches

The beaches of El Campello are about to experience a new level of luxury. The City Council’s Department of Beaches and Tourism Infrastructure has granted concessionaires the authority to construct “Balinese beds” on the sand, which are relaxing elements that “add value to the beaches.” This includes the rental of sun loungers and umbrellas on the beaches.
In a statement, the City Council clarifies that the authorisation, which is available to all concessionaires, is always contingent upon the fact that the installation of these elements “does not entail expanding the space granted to them” to install hammocks.
According to the City Council, which is led by Rafa Galvañ, concessionaires who desire to provide these beds, which are typically constructed from wood and are resistant to coastal environmental conditions, may do so without expanding the designated area.
To date, two of these regions have adopted the proposal and have installed Balinese beds in Muchavista that are waterproof, sun-resistant, and simple to clean. These beds are equipped with white side curtains and a custom-made roof that is suitable for machine washing. They have also been treated with fire-retardant and antibacterial components.
The dimensions are 200 centimetres in width, 182 centimetres in depth, and 210 centimetres in height. This furniture is intended to set it apart from other beaches and highlight the sun lounger and umbrella service area, thereby imbuing it with elegance and personality.
Hammock and umbrella dealers must submit a specific request to the City Council to construct these beds. This request must include technical specifications and catalogues of the materials they intend to use.
However, what is the cost? According to the same sources, the concessionaire that commissioned the infrastructure in Muchavista charges €21 per day for two hammocks and a parasol, while a Balinese bed that accommodates three individuals costs €50 per day.
Furthermore, one should consider midday rentals, which would restrict the use and enjoyment of these relaxation facilities to approximately 25-30 euros.
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Costa Blanca
El Corte Inglés in Alicante now offers sign language services

With the implementation of the SVISUAL sign language video interpretation service, El Corte Inglés in Alicante has made a significant stride towards inclusivity. This service is intended for deaf users of the language. The event presenter clarified that this initiative “reinforces its commitment to service and accessibility so that everyone can receive quality care.” This system was initially introduced in Murcia and has since been implemented in Cartagena, Valencia, and Castellón. It has been further expanded to include Alicante and Elche, thereby concluding its implementation throughout the Valencian Community.
The significance of partnerships in facilitating this advancement was underscored by Santiago Sánchez, the Communications Director of El Corte Inglés Murcia. “This project was initiated as a pilot project in Murcia nearly two years ago, and we have been gradually expanding its implementation throughout the Valencian Community, thanks to the National Confederation of the Deaf’s collaboration and the Regional Office of El Corte Inglés in Levante’s dedication.” He also announced its imminent extension to Castilla-La Mancha. He also underscored that it is “a source of pride that from now on, anyone who visits El Corte Inglés and requires the assistance of a sign language interpreter will have it.”
Carolina García, president of the Federation of the Deaf in the Valencian Community, participated in the presentation to emphasise the recognition of sign language. She stated, “Article 13.4 explicitly states that sign language is the language of deaf people, was created by deaf people, and should be the object of care, respect, and value.” García expressed gratitude to El Corte Inglés for its dedication, describing it as “a perfect example of this accessibility achieved” and expressing his hope that “other companies will follow El Corte Inglés’ example to make their various areas accessible.”
Lidia López, the Councillor for Social Welfare of the Alicante City Council, also attended the event. She emphasised the significance of companies such as El Corte Inglés taking such significant actions, which, as she stated, “eliminate all types of barriers and serve as an example to other companies in the municipality of Alicante and, consequently, in other provinces.”
Employees of El Corte Inglés have received training to comprehend individuals with hearing impairments and use the app embedded on their tablets to communicate with interpreters. The CNS Foundation for the Removal of Communication Barriers, the Federation of the Deaf of the Valencian Community, and El Corte Inglés are collaborating to implement this initiative.
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