It seems very unlikely that the signatories to the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, who confirmed British ownership of Gibraltar ”in perpetuity,” could have imaged that nearly 300 years later Spain would make a comeback, of sorts, and be welcomed as a visitor from the air.
Following a notable agreement in Cordoba between representatives of the UK, Spain and the British Colony, Iberia will make an historic first landing at Gibraltar on Saturday 16 December. A 141-seat Airbus A319 will inaugurate a daily service between the Spanish capital Madrid and the British Crown Colony. British Airways franchisee GB Airways is due to open a reciprocal service at a later date, a continuation of its Gatwick ” Gibraltar operation.
Iberia sees the new service as an opportunity to introduce Madrid as a international gateway to Gibraltar, travellers previously using Gatwick - nearly three hours away as against 70 minutes.The agreement allows for Gibraltar Airport to expand its role as a fully entitled EU operation and calls for the introduction of a two-lane interface on the border including red and green channels. Over the next two years Gibraltar Airport”s passenger terminal will be expanded and a tunnel built under the runway. At the present time the road to Spain has to be closed every time an aircraft lands. Also benefiting from the new understanding is Fly Gibraltar, an embryo budget airline planning to make its first flight in April with former Airtours/MyTravel chairman Mike Lee as CEO.