Madrid is lobbying Brussels to sanction the merger of Iberia and Air Europa.
KLM, Air France, Lufthansa and Ryanair have all voiced opposition to the deal, claiming it will give Iberia an unfair advantage on domestic and international routes, but insiders say those airlines have their own axe to grind.
"If the purchase does not go ahead, the traffic distribution centres in which KLM, Air France, Lufthansa and Ryanair operate will benefit, to the detriment of Spanish companies," say Airline Sector sources.
Air Europa is currently operating less than half the number of flights of 2019 and is drowning in debt. The sale price has already been slashed because of the Covid pandemic and the deal has an official deadline of December 3.
With a large number of Air Europa employees still in ERTE and the future of more than 3,600 workers is hanging in the balance.