BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

The sector of transport is changing is Spain very fast, and never best told, because it has almost coincided in the last days, two contraposed and significative facts. In this way, when the echos of the best economic results of Renfe has not disappeared yet, thousands of passangers suffered the chaos of Holy Week in the aeroports of the country.

The statics obtained in 1998 by the Spanish railway company are really spectacular. The statics are always important, specially for a statal company. That is why they impresionate, all of them in relation to 1997, the 2.705 millions of pesetas of rising of the total incomes, the 5.338 millions in the reduction of the costs, finally, the general improvement superior to the 21.000 millions of pesetas.

However, it is still more spectacular the conceptual change that the train has experienced in the society. To talk about punctuality, and the quality of the railway services were, some years ago, impossible. Today, and frecuent inquieries demonstrates it, the passangers talk very good of Renfe.

The merit of AVE Madrid-Sevilla in this process is undeniable, but we can have a look to thejust mentioned economic results to prove that the rest of the Bussiness Unites-Suburban, Regionals, Great Lines, Carries and Mixed Transport- have iniciated a positive and unstoppable taking off.

On the other side, the desparing scenes lived in the aeroports have confirmed the black omen that threatens the aerial transport in Spain. It has been the last but one straw of a serie of conflicts-extent of Barajas,lack of controllers, the intransigent position of the sindicate of pilots (SEPLA)...- what angered the passangers and even the citizens.

In this context, and taking into account that the railway infraestructures in use-AVE Madrid-Barcelona and the variation of Guadarrama, specially-, it is not strange the respect that the responsibles of the companies and aerial organizations demonstrate in public towards the train. Now the boot is on the other's foot, and the distance between the groound and the sky is minor every day.