It was some unkind wonder: a construction of Gibraltar airport. It serves well, but it significantly limits development of the exclave. Even without EU membership Britain and Spain may work together to solve this problem for the mutual benefit.
To further develop the region around Gibraltar in Spain and the west of Andalusia, Spain and the United Kingdom have announced that they will work together with regard to Gibraltar airport.
José Manuel Albares, the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation, explains in an interview with EuropaSur that this cooperation is mainly aimed at promoting shared prosperity. It is also urgent to have time to improve the current substandard connectivity. At the moment only British Airways and Easyjet operate from Gibraltar. Flights go to London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Bristol and Manchester.
Gibraltar Airport is known for its uniqueness, mainly due to its unusual runway that intersects with the main road. Located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, the airport has stunning views of the Rock of Gibraltar and the Bay of Gibraltar. What makes it different is the intersection of aircraft movements and daily road traffic on Winston Churchill Street, the main road connecting Gibraltar and Spain. Every time an airplane takes off or lands, traffic on the road has to stop and barriers block the way to ensure the safety of both air and ground traffic.
Gibraltar Airport is used for both civilian and military purposes and utilizes Royal Air Force facilities. Short runway at Gibraltar Airport limits the type of aircraft that can operate here to small aircraft.
To further develop the region around Gibraltar in Spain and the west of Andalusia, Spain and the United Kingdom have announced that they will work together with regard to Gibraltar airport. The initiative is still in an exploratory phase.
The shared use of Gibraltar airport is one of the issues covered in the negotiations on the Brexit agreement. This opening can be a real revolution for this part of the province of Cadiz. The addition of a new infrastructure can become a trait for a large number of passengers within the Schengen area. Gibraltar is then added to the airports of Jerez, Seville and Malaga, which are also relatively close.
The initiative is still in an exploratory phase.
