Plataforma per la Llengua has managed to get the bus company FlixBus to incorporate Catalan into its app, as well as the ticket vending machines and signage at its Barcelona facilities at Estació del Nord, its only physical store in Catalan-speaking territories. The organisation celebrates the German company's quick, enthusiastic adoption of the changes it suggested. However, at the same time it is calling on the Catalan Government to ensure companies setting up in Catalonia are in no doubt about its native language. FlixBus, sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, is the leader in low-cost passenger road transport and offers long-distance routes in most European countries, as well as on other continents. 

The organisation for the protection of Catalan began working with FlixBus a year ago, asking it to incorporate Catalan everywhere it was not yet present. Except for the company's website, which did have a Catalan version, the language was residual in most areas. Since then, the company has gradually incorporated Catalan everywhere, and for some elements it is now the only language. The internal regulations (including passengers' rights and booking conditions), the service sign, the bus arrivals and departures screen at Estación del Nord and the signage and operating system for both ticket machines are now in Catalan. On the machines, the default language is, in fact, Catalan and Catalan has now become the 25th language offered on the app. 

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The organisation is grateful to FlixBus for its unreserved willingness to engage in fluid dialogue, and it celebrates the success achieved. Now both the app and the website can be visited in Catalan, the bus company's headquarters fits properly into Barcelona's linguistic landscape, and Catalan-speaking consumers are guaranteed the same rights as speakers of other languages.

The importance of Catalan for international companies when setting up in Catalan-speaking territories 

Plataforma per la Llengua celebrates this progress, and calls for Catalan to be the main language of all companies operating in Catalan-speaking territories. In this respect, organisations need to understand that Catalan is essential for relating to Catalan-speaking consumers, and that without the language they cannot offer good service.

The organisation for the protection of Catalan has been working for years to support international companies, such as FlixBus, when localising their services, and to make them understand the importance of Catalan. It therefore also calls on the Government of Catalonia to step up its efforts in this area to ensure that no international company sets up in Catalonia without taking Catalan into account.