DGT helicopter patrols halted as contractor Eliance enters creditor protection
The company operating the DGT’s Pegasus helicopters, Eliance, has entered pre-concurso de acreedores, causing flights to stop at bases in Málaga, Sevilla and Santiago de Compostela.
Eliance, the firm tasked with operating the DGT’s Pegasus helicopter fleet, has triggered pre-concurso de acreedores to try to preserve its operations, informing its 230 employees of the step. The company, known for emergency medical and fire-fighting missions, has a history of contract failures with Spanish administrations, including a terminated agreement with the 061 service in Galicia. As a result, DGT helicopters have ceased flying from the Málaga, Sevilla and Santiago de Compostela bases, leaving a sizable portion of the country without aerial traffic surveillance.
Helicopters based in Madrid, Zaragoza and Valladolid will also be unavailable during the El Pilar holiday parade, limiting operational capacity to the Valencia base. The CCOO union cautions that the disruption threatens essential public-safety services.
Why it matters
The suspension reduces aerial traffic monitoring, potentially compromising road safety for millions of drivers.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the grounding of DGT Pegasus helicopters after Eliance entered creditor protection, but left-leaning coverage emphasizes criticism of the program’s focus on fines and financial losses, while right-leaning coverage stresses the contractor’s troubled history and the operational gap it creates.
LEFT
Frames the suspension as exposing a fine-focused traffic-surveillance system plagued by losses and broader DGT staffing and equipment problems.
RIGHT
Frames the suspension as a consequence of Eliance’s history of contract failures that leaves large regions without aerial surveillance, especially during the El Pilar holiday parade.
The left emphasises
- Critics claim the helicopters were primarily used to issue fines.
- Speed cameras generated a record €246.8 million in penalties in 2025.
- The DGT also faces aging equipment and staffing shortages.
The right emphasises
- Eliance has a history of contract failures with Spanish administrations.
- The grounding leaves a sizable portion of the country without aerial traffic surveillance.
- Helicopters will be unavailable during the El Pilar holiday parade, limiting capacity to the Valencia base.
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