Hi Jinkster
I guess that answers my question! I was hoping someone would say something 'controversial'!
Take a read of this, take note of point 110:
(this is from
http://www.publications.parliament.u.../973/97302.htm)
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AVIATION SERVICES
108. Spain has never recognised British title to the land ("the isthmus") on which Gibraltar airport is situated. An agreement reached between the United Kingdom and Spain in 1987 for joint use of the airport, which, it has been suggested, was originally accepted by the then Chief Minister,[108] was ultimately rejected by the Gibraltar Government. Since this time, Spain has blocked European Community measures relating to air services which would apply to Gibraltar. The British Government has agreed to suspend the application to Gibraltar of numerous such measures—including the Single European Sky—in the interests of the United Kingdom and the EU more widely.
109. Spain refuses to allow direct air communications between Gibraltar and Spain, and, according to the Gibraltar Government, discourages all other EU countries except the United Kingdom from establishing direct air links with Gibraltar.[109] This is a much more uncompromising position than that taken by the Franco regime, which allowed direct flights to operate between Gibraltar and Madrid.
110. Furthermore, if a flight bound for Gibraltar has to be diverted because of adverse weather conditions—a not uncommon occurrence, as the runway at Gibraltar makes for a particularly awkward landing—the aircraft may not land instead at a Spanish airport. The normal procedure is for the aircraft to land at Tangier in Morocco, to file a new flight plan, and only then to proceed to Malaga in Spain. If a Gibraltar-bound flight does divert directly to Malaga, that aircraft cannot be used to collect outbound passengers. It must return to the United Kingdom, and a separate, empty aircraft must be sent out to Malaga. The Gibraltar Government describes this situation as "scandalous".[110] We agree. We conclude that Spain's refusal to allow Gibraltar-bound aircraft to divert to Spanish airports in adverse weather conditions is potentially dangerous as well as unjustified. This is precisely the sort of incomprehensible restriction which obstructs hopes of understanding between Spain and Gibraltar.
111. An impediment to the use of the airport for which Spain is not responsible is the cost for commercial aircraft of landing at Gibraltar. Gibraltar airport is a joint-use facility operated by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The landing charges imposed by the MoD are intended to recover the additional costs incurred by allowing commercial flights to use the airport. The cost for a commercial aircraft of landing at Gibraltar is nearly five times that of landing at Malaga and up to four times as much as a peak landing slot at Gatwick airport.[111] Clearly this is extremely uncompetitive. We recommend that the Government reexamine its landing charges for commercial aircraft at Gibraltar airport to ensure that they do not exceed the real cost of allowing commercial operations to take place. We further recommend that the Government should assess whether reducing the landing charges would encourage greater commercial use of the airport, thereby ensuring that current revenues are maintained.
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