It was in 1713 that the Treaty of Utrecht was signed seeding Gibraltar to Great Britain ”in perpetuity”. Nearly 300 years of disagreement followed, finally resolved on 18 September 2007 with the signing in Cordoba of a trilateral document effectively opening up the border between the colony and the Spanish city of Algeciras.
Last Saturday Iberia made its first ever landing on The Rock bringing in Spain”s deputy foreign minister Bernardino Leon direct from Madrid. In the other direction British Airways franchisee GB Airways flew up to Madrid a party of Gibraltarian and Spanish schoolchildren to meet Santa Claus.
GB Airways chairman James Gaggero said: ”Today has been an exciting day for the children, many who have not flown before”. He pointed out that their ability to take part in a piece of history was a great bonus.
The BA Airbus A320 played host to just under 100 schoolchildren, with ages ranging from five to 12. They came from schools in Algeciras and Los Barrios in Spain and from Gibraltar itself.
Mr Gaggero, whose grandfather founded GB Airways 75 years ago added: ”After all, this is the generation that will reap the benefits from the important Cordoba agreement. And in this regard I salute the politicians of all three sides who have at last found a way out of the post-Franco impasse for 30 years and who will facilitate the development of this part of the Iberian peninsula for the benefit of all.
Iberia”s daily service starts straight away, the British Airways service from May 2007.