• Thus ends the adventure of Air Europa: Juan José Hidalgo, "sad" after winning a billion

Juan José Hidalgo led an assault on Iberia in 2007. He did not succeed. He prepared five years later to replace his rival in a crisis that threatened to turn her into a zombie. Nor did it come out.

And there has not been a third. After almost 30 years fighting with Iberia to keep their airplanes in the air, Hidalgo has finally charged his rival the price of stopping making life more difficult.

Iberia will be able to enjoy Barajas as an operations center. The withdrawal, with a check of 1,000 million euros in cash has been signed by his successor, his son Javier. If the price lives up to your expectations, it is something that only he knows, that has not been distinguished for being someone who sells cheaply or who misses opportunities.

On these bases is how Hidalgo has made its place in the elite of Spanish entrepreneurship an entrepreneur who did not start in a garage but in the field; that he did not start his transport business with more capitalist partners than his own savings and who have been given more than once with the door in their noses, but not with enough force to prevent him from returning to throw the door down.

Don Pepe, as he is known in the Dominican Republic, or Pepe airplanes, as he is nicknamed in recognition of the trajectory of a character who recognizes that he cannot read a business balance but negotiates for billions, likes the game and likes it Win, be it tute, poker or golf. Rivals know they have someone in front of them who, far from suffering from the impostor syndrome by stepping on carpet, enjoys the center of the scene. And that he is capable of launching a great lantern and impersonating himself inexperienced; to play to the limit of the rules to win and simultaneously denounce the "black hands" that prevent it from thriving.

In addition to the airlines, in his entrepreneurial career Hidalgo has signed up for all the games of the tourism sector, tour operators, travel agencies, hotels ... And in all of them he has had a relationship more than strained with his competitors: Gonzalo Pascual and Gerardo Díaz Ferrán, the former owners of Marsans (»sold hard to four pesetas»); Alsa (»the road transport manipulator in Spain») or Iberia (»has an obsolete model») are witnesses.

Relationships have not been easy in the family environment, with the threat of divorce from his wife, Eloísa Gutiérrez, in 2013, a heart attack or the trajectories of his children, especially Javier, who now holds the reins of business.

Of course, it has been Iberia on which most of its inventives have fallen. The Salamanca businessman who has requested Dominican nationality for being the Caribbean his second homeland has also taken hits has seen Air Europa about to die several times at the hands of his rival. He bought it in the early 90s to be one of the first to face the flag carrier that was no longer enjoying the air transport monopoly in Spain. It is one of your preferences: choose a great rival to measure yourself with and, if you are not used to the competition, the better. Thus, and surrounded by great connoisseurs of the labyrinth of corridors that is the Ministry of Development, is how the Globalia group has developed. But of all Globalia holding businesses, none has given it the prestige of Air Europa. Presidents, ministers, awards from chambers of commerce, celebrities, personalities of all kinds ...

In the history of the difficult relationship with Iberia, Hidalgo has had two milestones. The first in 2007, when together with several businessmen prepared an offer to take over the company. The attempt failed and Iberia went on to merge with British Airways. The second was in 2012, when after being integrated in the IAG holding the former flag carrier was plunged into a serious labor dispute. Faced with a crisis with no apparent solution, the new owners threatened to let it remain as a zombie airline. The general alarm then led Hidalgo to establish itself as the only Spanish champion of the air business, tourism and also the airports. He announced the purchase of airplanes and requested preferential space in Barajas. Aena and the Ministry of Development bought the message. "Iberia can run now ... it won't catch me," said the businessman at the time. But time has not proved him right. He has caught him, even if it is because his succession does not see much benefit in battle.

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