'Deya', 'Estellenchs', 'Mahón'... Why don't airlines respect Catalan place names?

PalmThe Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) on Wednesday called on several airlines to correct the toponymic errors they use on their digital platforms and to incorporate Catalan as a standard language in their operations. The organization considers it "unacceptable" that incorrect or archaic forms of the names of municipalities in the Balearic Islands continue to be used and reminds them that regional regulations establish the official toponymy. Errors have also been detected in the drop-down menus for origin and destination points, as well as in the drop-down menus for resident discounts, where incorrect forms such as [examples of Catalan and Catalan] appear. Deya by Deià, Mahón via Mahón, Estellenchs by Estellencs, Santa Eulalia del Río by Santa Eulalia del Río, and Palma de Mallorca by Palma, among others. The OCB considers that these forms "not only violate current regulations, but also convey a distorted image of the linguistic reality of the territory."

The president of the organization, Antoni Llabrés, has sent a letter to nine airlines – Vueling, Iberia, Iberia Express, EasyJet, Ryanair, Uepfly, Volotea, Air Nostrum, and Binter – reminding them of their obligation to respect official place names and requesting that they do so. Llabrés emphasized that "a reputable company that respects the law must use the official names of towns and not strange or incorrect forms." The Catalan Consumer Organization (OCB) also regrets the lack of Catalan versions on the websites and mobile applications of some of these airlines, such as Iberia Express, Volotea, Uepfly, Air Nostrum, and Binter, and denounces the use of the term 'Balearic' to refer to the Catalan language. Only Vueling, EasyJet, and Ryanair currently offer a full Catalan version. The organization has also noted that only two companies—EasyJet and Binter—correctly use the form 'Illes Balears' instead of the nonexistent 'Illes Balears'. Balearic Islandswhich still appears in some discount brochures for large families.

Llabrés has announced that the OCB will request the support of the State Secretariat for Tourism and the Balearic Government's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports to ensure that businesses comply with the law and that the Balearic language has the presence it deserves. "It's a matter of institutional respect, but also of service quality and recognition of the citizens of the Balearic Islands," the president concluded.