Ministers from Britain, Spain and Gibraltar have signed a series of agreements aimed at improving living conditions for the people of Gibraltar.
The deal - signed in the Spanish city of Cordoba - will open up Gibraltar to flights from Spain and other European countries.
Up until now, Spain has only allowed flights to Gibraltar from Britain.
Commercial aircraft will no longer need to perform complicated approaches to avoid using Spanish airspace, although Madrid has not eased restrictions for military flights.
Just heard it on the radio as well! Seems like it will be a lot easier to fly there! On a side not Gibraltar receives EU structural funds! Can u believe that!
Vinnie-Winnie wrote:......On a side not Gibraltar receives EU structural funds! Can u believe that!
Oh yes....... Ask Mr. Blair
Why not? Gibraltar is part of the European Union, and moreover was a region with very closed borders, and therefore put in a disadvantage.
I am also glad the airport will be able to accept flights from other EU member states than the United Kingdom. Once I flew there and the pilot discovered a technical problem. It had to divert to Madrid, but was after solving the problem, not allowed to continue to Gib, but to Malaga instead. We endured a two hour bus ride from there.
The opening of flights to from non UK is good news indeed but don't expect it to be a busy airport like Malaga.
I was in Gibraltar a few years ago and the runway is literally just after the main road from the border point so when a plan is due to land or take off the main road into and out of Gibraltar is blocked until the plane has cleared the runway. We may indeed see several extra flights but that should be it.
I read a detailed article in the Spanish press which cited that the small terminal will have a separate exit for flights from Spain or the EU (directly exiting onto the Spanish side of the border) and a non-schengen exit which leads into Gibraltar.
A step ahead indeed but there is still a lot of tension on both sides with Gibraltarians very reluctant to give anything away to the Spanish. Part of the agreement includes a management team of people from the 3 parties (UK, Spain and Gibraltar) would be based at the airport and deal with crises or breaking of the rules.
Military flights except for RAF are still prohibited from landing on the Rock.
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A jet from Spanish carrier Iberia with senior officials on board flew from Madrid to Gibraltar airport, while a British flight headed the other way.
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