Transportes boosts the increase in the offer in the OSP of the air route Menorca - Madrid

Three frequencies are added in March, which will be operated on days 5, 20 and 24, and from April onwards the seats offered on each flight will be increased.

The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has promoted an increase in capacity on the Madrid-Menorca air route, which was declared a public service obligation (PSO) in July 2018, for the period from November 1 to April 30.

Thus, after detecting a significant increase in demand that hinders the availability of seats a few days a week, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation has promoted, together with the UTE concessionaire of the route, formed by Iberia, Iberia Express and Air Nostrum, an increase in frequencies in March and of seats in April, when the route is operated with a larger aircraft.

The sale of tickets for the seats and additional flights will begin next Monday, January 29, according to the information provided by the UTE.

Specifically, the UTE will include three new frequencies on the Mahón-Madrid route in March, which will operate on days 5, 20 and 24, which means adding one more frequency each day, going from two to three on days 5 and 20 and from three to four on March 24, which coincides with Palm Sunday of Easter, one of the biggest demands of the month being expected.

In this line, the change of aircraft with which the service is provided from April 1, moving from the regional aircraft CRJ 1000 to the Airbus 320, will significantly increase the capacity of the route by offering a greater number of seats in each flight.

This capacity improvement has been the result of the collaboration between the DGAC and the UTE and thanks to the effort made by the UTE to adapt its operation in the middle of the season.

The Government thus reaffirms its commitment to the mobility of the citizens of the Balearic Islands and will continue to work to improve, day by day, the mobility and transport services provided on the islands.

OSP

The OSP-Madrid route is declared OSP, during the period from November 1 to April 30, by Agreement of the Council of Ministers of July 27, 2018. Last summer the contract for the provision of services was tendered during the periods 1 November 2023 - 30 April 2024 and 1 November 2024 - 30 April 2025, being awarded the Temporary Union of Companies (UTE) constituted by Iberia, Air Nostrum and Iberia Express.

Already in the current contract, in response to the increasing evolution of demand on the route on certain dates, and with the aim of continuing to guarantee adequate mobility conditions for citizens, the operating conditions were modified, reinforcing the level of service required with an additional frequency in the sections corresponding to the festivities of the Constitution, the Christmas period and the Diada de Sant Antoni in Menorca. Previously, the section corresponding to Semana Santa had been strengthened.

The Ministry, through the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, carries out an ongoing task of monitoring and analysis of data relating to operations on those routes on which public service operations (PSOs) have been declared. When it is detected that there may be an impact on connectivity, as has been the case of the Mahón-Madrid route due to the high occupancy of its flights, it acts in coordination with the operating company to seek the best solution for citizens.