President of Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas Reaffirms Before the Senate the Legality of the Loan Process and the Company’s Cooperation with Institutions

The president of Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas, Julio Martínez Sola, appeared today before the Spanish Senate at the request of the committee investigating the so-called Delorme Case.

During the session, as he is currently involved in ongoing judicial proceedings, Martínez Sola exercised his right not to testify, following the recommendation of his legal team. Nevertheless, he delivered a statement outlining the context in which the aviation sector found itself during the pandemic and the process through which the airline applied for support from the government fund managed by the State Industrial Holdings Company (SEPI).

In his remarks, he emphasized that the processing of the loans “was carried out in accordance with the Fund’s regulations, which expressly provided in Annex II, Section 2(m), for access by companies operating in strategic sectors.” “There was no exceptional procedure outside the rules; no preferential treatment; no undue interference; no unlawful aid. There was a regulated process, with oversight, reports, and very strict conditions that have been duly met. No one has given us anything,” Martínez Sola stated.

He also recalled that since the financing was granted in 2021, “the company’s continued operations have generated a direct contribution to the economic and social environment amounting to €114 million, including social security payments, taxes, job creation, and interest payments on the financing, which to date total €9 million.”

During his address, he referred to the information and accusations circulated in recent years linking the company to alleged activities unrelated to its management and operations. “It is difficult to find such a disproportionate, absurd, and sustained attack against a company like ours,” he said, expressing confidence that “an objective analysis of the facts will distinguish political debate from the business and legal reality of a company that continues to operate in a context of growth.”

The president also conveyed the company’s “willingness to cooperate with institutions and respect for the role of the parliamentary committee and the media,” stressing the importance of safeguarding legal certainty and corporate reputation.

“Plus Ultra,” Martínez Sola affirmed, “is not a political instrument, nor should it be. It is a company that complies with the law; competes in international markets; creates jobs; promotes tourism; and contributes to Spain’s international projection. Plus Ultra employs more than 700 professionals — pilots, cabin crew, technicians, ground staff, and other specialists — who work responsibly every day. Behind every unfounded or frivolous accusation there are people, families, and professional careers that deserve respect and consideration.”