  |
Airline's decision 'raises more questions than answers'
|
The announcement by GB Airways that it is to suspend its winter schedule to Madrid raises more questions than answers.
The PDP party adds It is barely a few months since GB Airways renewed flights to Madrid. At the time the airline was reported as saying that this was ?a new era for all citizens? and that the link was expected to fly 81,000 passengers a year and ?bring an impetus for the Gibraltar and Campo regions.?
Against that background this decision is perplexing to say the least and leaves many questions in the air. For example:
1. What are the operating restrictions suffered by GB Airways?
2. Why cannot that airline get better slots?
3. What are the ?number of obstacles? alluded to in the GB Airways statement?
4. Why is it that Iberia do not seem to be experiencing these same issues?
5. Why does GB Airways consider the situation will be made worse by construction works on the new terminal given that it was obvious from the very beginning that a new terminal would be built?
The PDP agrees that direct air links to Spain are positive as long as all arrangements are conducted in a politically safe manner for Gibraltar. The party?s position on logistical arrangements is well-known.
Given this announcement there is a clear need for the airline to be much more specific about the problems it is encountering and for the Government to indicate why it is not possible to resolve these issues within the trilateral process. In the same way as Iberia seems to encounter no difficulties the path for what is in effect Gibraltar?s airline should also be facilitated, says the PDP.
GB Airways should publish its passenger traffic statistics from the inception of the route to dispel any concerns that the real issue might be that the route is unviable and was just being sustained ?to support the efforts of our politicians and the Cordoba process? which the Chairman of the airline has stated was an original motivation.
|
|
|
|
