MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spanish airlines considering flights to Gibraltar

Regional airlines in Spain are considering the viability of operating flights to and from Gibraltar reports the Gibraltar Chronicle. Apparently at least two regional airlines have made preliminary inquiries with outside authorities.

Approached by the Chronicle, Air Nostrum, one of the biggest regional airlines in Europe, remained silent on reports that it is poised to take formal steps to operate to and from Gibraltar airport.

Air Nostrum, based in Valencia, is an exclusive franchise of Iberia's group and is 100% privately owned. The airline operates more than 125,000 annual flights and has a fleet of 61 aircrafts. Air Nostrum flies to 55 destinations, carrying almost four million passengers every year. Destinations include Melilla, Faro and long-distant destinations like London and others in France and Italy. Aircraft in its regional fleet seat between 50 and 68 passengers, meeting the criteria for regional services. Their Andalucian airport destinations include Sevilla, Malaga, Granada, Almeria and Murcia.

The move comes as expectations continue to grow that the trilateral talks, (Spain, UK, Gibraltar) set for September 18 in Cordoba could open the way for Gibraltar airport to operate as a full EU airport.

Meanwhile EasyJet is to establish its first Spanish base at Madrid's Barajas Airport. The move comes as Iberia is poised to start a low cost carrier from the Spanish capital.

Operations are to start on February 16, 2007, with a number of new routes, details of which are to be disclosed next month. Whether it will consider Gibraltar is likely to depend on the outcome of the longstanding negotiations on landing fees.

When in Gibraltar attending a high level cruise conference earlier this year Greek businessman Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who pioneered cheap flights in Europe appeared to rule Gibraltar out as an EasyJet destination.

"It's the prices," he said then. EasyJet claims to be the largest low-fares airline in Spain handling 7.5 million passengers on 72 routes to 11 airports in the country