Airport

Passenger faked going into labour to force plane’s emergency landing.

According to the Spanish government, a pregnant woman faked to be in labour in order to force a plane to land in Spain, where more than two dozen migrants tried to flee.

The commercial aircraft, which was travelling from Morocco to Turkey, made an emergency landing at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, where 28 passengers—police think they were migrants attempting to enter Spain illegally—attempted to escape by running across the tarmac.

Police apprehended 14 of them, including the pregnant woman who was claimed pretended to be in labour aboard the plane. Five of those detained were quickly re-boarded the Pegasus Airlines flight, while the remaining eight would be deported to Morocco. According to police, the 14 other passengers were able to escape from the plane.

The woman, who was believed to be in labour, was arrested on suspicion of causing a public disturbance after hospital staff discovered that, despite being pregnant, she was not in labour. A total of 228 passengers were scheduled to fly from Casablanca to Istanbul.

It was the second such incident in less than a year, following a flight from Morocco to Turkey in which a passenger pretended to be ill in order to compel an emergency landing in Spain, with hundreds of passengers abandoning the plane.

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Airport

Three Major UK Airports Up for Multi-Billion Pound Sale

Three major UK airports, including London City, Birmingham, and Bristol, are set to be sold in a multi-billion pound deal as their Canadian owner, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), seeks to capitalize on a booming air travel market.

The OTPP is in talks with minority shareholders about selling its stakes in these airports, as well as its holdings in Brussels and Copenhagen airports.

Current evaluations suggest the combined value of the five airports exceeds £10 billion, with OTPP owning between 25% and 70% stakes in each, potentially bringing the total sale to over £3.5 billion.

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The move comes as global aviation experiences a strong recovery, driving increased demand for air travel, particularly across Europe. The OTPP, which holds a significant portion of its portfolio in these airports, is in the process of offering its shares to co-investors with a 30-day “right of first refusal” period.

Analysts speculate that the sale could trigger a chain reaction, prompting other stakeholders to consider selling their shares, particularly if a new buyer seeks a controlling interest.

Bristol Airport, for example, has outlined an ambitious master plan to expand its capacity from 12 million passengers per year to 15 million by 2036, addressing the growing demand in the region.

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Meanwhile, London’s Heathrow and Stansted airports have seen record passenger traffic, further underscoring the sector’s recovery.

As the 30-day period progresses, the OTPP’s decision could spark a flurry of activity, with other investors such as Australian giant Macquarie reportedly showing interest in the airports.

This potential sale is set to reshape the future of UK airport ownership and investment, as the aviation industry continues to recover and grow.