Spain’s government has approved temporary price caps on flights and other alternative transport between Andalusia and Madrid while the southern high-speed rail corridor remains closed following the Urda accident. The decree also allows limits on increases in accommodation prices linked to disrupted travel, Transport Minister Óscar Puente said after Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.
Under the measure, alternative transport fares cannot exceed the highest price charged during the preceding month. If that maximum was more than 50% above the average price over the same 30-day period, the cap will instead be set at the average plus 50%. For example, with an average fare of €200, the limit would be €300 even if the service had previously reached €1,000.
State-concession bus fares are fixed, but prices for other forms of transport can rise as demand increases. Puente said some fares had climbed to eight or nine times their pre-accident levels. The government said the limits are intended to prevent price increases from making essential services harder to access during an emergency.
The decree revives a price-control mechanism previously approved by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs but rejected in Congress by the PP, Vox and Junts. The rules could also be applied during future emergencies or climate-related disasters. The measure still requires approval by Congress’s Permanent Deputation; Junts’s vote is no longer necessary, though the positions of the PP, Vox and Junts remain uncertain.
Consumer Affairs officials said the ministry would examine complaints submitted by the public about alleged abuses. The government’s stated aim is to prevent companies from profiting from the consequences of the tragedy.
Sources: El País Sociedad.