Last week, Barcelona recovered its direct link with Los Angeles after a three-year pause. A Level Airbus A330, a brand of the IAG group, once again connected Catalonia and California non-stop, to the delight of users of these flights on both sides of the ocean, who had been waiting for this return since spring 2020, when this firm stopped flying from San Francisco due to restrictions caused by the pandemic.
The start of regular flights to and from Los Angeles, which will have between three and four weekly frequencies in the coming months, has coincided with a spectacular operation precisely on that same route and which has been unprecedented at El Prat airport. Four Singapore Airlines planes flew yesterday between the main city of California (3.9 million inhabitants) and Barcelona almost simultaneously, transporting almost 1,500 people.
The figures were possible thanks to the use of two large A350-900 aircraft for this operation, which the airline usually flies for flights to and from Singapore, in addition to two Airbus A380s, the company's largest model, with capacity for 471 travelers in four differentiated cabins: six seats are considered suites, 78 seats are business, 44 are premium economy and the remaining 343 seats are economy or tourist class.
Superjumbos and controllers
The two Singapore Airlines A380s were the stars of the day at Barcelona Airport, not only because it is the first time that this company has used them in Barcelona, but also for doing so twice on the same day. The planes were also among the most modern of the carrier, four and five years old, serial numbers 243 and 247 of the 272 built in total by Airbus. Their presence was followed with attention and interest by airport staff and, above all, with interest and obligatory attention from the two control towers of the airfield.
One of the controllers who were on duty yesterday during the landing of both aircraft told The New Barcelona Post about the uniqueness that the presence of the A380 always entails at El Prat: "We have to apply greater separation between takeoffs or landings due to the so-called wake turbulence when these types of four-engine giants arrive or depart," he comments. "In addition to in the air, the operation of these large aircraft on the ground must be carried out with great care, because due to their wingspan they have quite a few restrictions when circulating on the taxiways. We must take this into account from the tower when authorizing their taxiing on the ground. In any case, we always love to see this giant in Barcelona," concludes this professional who manages air traffic.
Total discretion
The special operation between California and Catalonia by Singapore Airlines has not been publicized by the company, as it is a charter operation for a corporation that has chartered the four aircraft. The airline's delegation for Spain and Portugal, based in Barcelona, has declined to provide more data as it is a non-regular operation contracted by third parties, although it did recall that the regular operation to Singapore from Barcelona is working well and its commitment to also commercialize the part of the flight between Barcelona and Milan Malpensa, which is the only "non-low cost" option connecting both cities, is growing in number of users.
Yesterday's special flights will increase Barcelona Airport's figures for the month of March. This Monday, Aena, the airport operator, released February's statistics. These revealed that El Prat had 15,247 takeoffs and landings, a figure that represents a 32.8% decrease compared to the same month in 2019, although it also means a growth of 282.7% compared to February 2021.
Regarding the number of passengers, terminals 1 and 2 of Barcelona-El Prat registered 1,983,298 travelers, a figure that is below that of the same month in 2019, by 39.3%, although, on the other hand, it represents a growth of 591.9% compared to February 2021. As for cargo figures, El Prat handled 11,422 tons of goods sent and received by air, a figure that is still below 2019, although in this case by 7.5%, while if the comparison is made with the same month of 2021, the increase in air cargo is 26.8%.
Except for these special flights, Singapore Airlines does not plan to operate with the A380 in Barcelona. Emirates will, however, which currently flies to Dubai and Mexico City with two types of Boeing 777 and hopes to be able to fly with the giant of the skies to Barcelona next August first.