The latest on Storm Nils across Spain, US Ambassador to Spain sworn in, Iberia to charge extra for ‘irregularly-shaped’ bags, and more news from around Spain on Thursday 12th February.
New US ambassador to Spain sworn in
The new US ambassador to Spain, Benjamin León Jnr., was sworn in on Tuesday, over a year after his appointment by President Donald Trump.
The formal swearing in comes after the US Senate finally gave the green light to his appointment last December. Spain has been without a US Ambassador since Julissa Reynoso left her position in July 2024.
READ ALSO: US Ambassador to Spain finally given green light to take up post
León was born in Oriente, Cuba, in 1944. His family emigrated to the United States in 1961 after the Cuban Revolution and he arrived in Miami at the age of 16.
The latest on Storm Nils across Spain on Thursday
The unstable weather will continue in Spain over the next few days, with strong winds forecast across large parts of the country.
Thursday will be another day marked by Storm Nils. Forecasts from El Tiempo suggest that rainfall will be minimal, mainly in the form of showers concentrated in northern areas.
Strong winds will continue, with yellow warnings still in place in large areas for gusts that could exceed 80 km/h. Orange alerts are in place in Almería, Barcelona, and the Balearic Islands.
After Storm Nils, which will move eastward across Europe from Thursday, a new storm will form on Friday and Saturday.
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Catalonia cancels classes due to strong winds
The winds have been so strong in Catalonia that classes and sporting activities have been suspended on Thursday throughout the region.
This was announced by the Regional Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, who also warned that non-urgent healthcare activities have been cancelled.
The wind will affect much of Catalonia, especially the coastal areas of Barcelona.
The Catalan government is asking people to avoid travel and recommending teleworking. Civil Protection sent an ES-Alert after on Wednesday to inform the public.
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Iberia to charge extra for ‘irregularly-shaped’ bags
Iberia Airlines can now charge an extra fee for so-called “irregularly-shaped baggage,” according to a statement from the Spanish airline.
The change, however, has nothing to do with the size or dimensions of carry-on bags allowed in the cabin, but rather the shape and durability of the bag.
“Any baggage whose shape, material, or dimensions could interfere with the airport’s automated systems (e.g., soft bags, plastic packages, round or oval bags, or non-rigid packaging) is considered irregularly shaped baggage,” reads the statement from Iberia on January 28th, the date on which the measure also came into force.
In order to bring a “soft bag” on board, passengers must go to the check-in counter and have it classified as special baggage and pay a fee of between €35 to €140 depending on the type of flight.
