Gibraltar and Spain gamesmanship.
With frequent maritime incursions these are more serious!!
From the Gibraltar Chronicle. A BA flight was delayed both landing and taking off from Gibraltar on Tuesday due to two separate air incursions by Spanish aircraft flying through British airspace without contacting the Rock’s air traffic control tower. The flight was initially held off the Rock as it came in to land while air traffic controllers tried to establish contact with a Guardia Civil helicopter in British airspace. Later after the aircraft had landed, its departure was delayed by around 10 minutes due to a Spanish fixed-wing plane flying through British airspace. In both cases, neither Spanish aircraft had contacted air traffic control in Gibraltar, the Chronicle understands. There was no danger to aviation at any time and the decision to delay the BA flight in both instances was taken because the Spanish aircraft’s intentions were not clear. Aerial incursions by Spanish state aircraft are less common than those at sea but are not unheard of. As with marine incursions, all are closely monitored and logged by the UK, which files protests with Spain on each occasion. Last night a spokesman for the Foreign Office confirmed both incursions and said the UK would be protesting to Spain. |
Spanish Hypocrisy
Perhaps it is also time to call out Spanish hypocrisy over Ceuta and Melilla in Morocco.
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So how much airspace did the Treaty of Utrecht grant the UK around Gibraltar?
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My understanding in my last visit there a couple of years ago was that an agreement under EU supervision was about to be reached with Spain regarding reciprocal use of their airspace with among others, allowing diversions to Malaga .I understand that Brexit might causing a review of that. Gibraltar could be one of the first casualties of Brexit.
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I'm not sure "gamesmanship" is the right word.
"Reckless endangerment" seems more fitting. Prosecution should follow. |
Curiously enough, in Spain we have exactly the same headlines but against the Brits: "UK ship or airplane recklessly incurs in Spanish territory without clearance and blah blah blah".
I also wouldn't call it "gamesmanship", more like "exploiting something that happens everyday to generate propaganda". And this goes for both governments. |
Originally Posted by ATC Watcher
(Post 10674261)
My understanding in my last visit there a couple of years ago was that an agreement under EU supervision was about to be reached with Spain regarding reciprocal use of their airspace with among others, allowing diversions to Malaga .I understand that Brexit might causing a review of that. Gibraltar could be one of the first casualties of Brexit.
I think this at the heart of it, and it can only get worse after the end of January. Our new Gib passports already have 'European Union' removed, so that will ensure hours of delays crossing the frontier. Out fishing today in my boat (in Spanish waters) the same Spanish twin prop patrol aircraft banked and flew over us a couple of times. The boat does display a red ensign as well as a Spanish flag. We also have our AIS rx/tx on squawking the boat's information, so perhaps someone can tell me if such an aircraft can receive AIS? Hopefully diversions for Gibraltar bound aircraft to Málaga and Jérez will continue and not go back to the old days when Gib diverted flights had to land at Rabat or Faro before diverting to Málaga. Perhaps gamesmanship was an understatement for those incursions, it's just that with all of the other incidents that happen around here it does seem like that. |
Gib has been a pain for everything..aerial, surface, and sub-surface transit.
Unfortunately, you have a non-nuclear weapon capable country (Spain) wanting a key passage to the Med that is protected by a nuclear weapon capable country (England) |
Originally Posted by turbidus
(Post 10674933)
Gib has been a pain for everything..aerial, surface, and sub-surface transit.
Unfortunately, you have a non-nuclear weapon capable country (Spain) wanting a key passage to the Med that is protected by a nuclear weapon capable country (England) |
Originally Posted by turbidus
(Post 10674933)
Gib has been a pain for everything..aerial, surface, and sub-surface transit.
Unfortunately, you have a non-nuclear weapon capable country (Spain) wanting a key passage to the Med that is protected by a nuclear weapon capable country (England) IG |
It is true that Spain has been claiming Gibraltar for ages, but thinking that we would go to war (regardless of nuke capability) over the Rock is not knowing Spain as a country at all. At this point of time, in Spanish society, any historical, territorial or political claim is viewed as a reminiscence of Franco and his regime and would be rejected by the population.
We would still be making jokes about it, though :O |
It is also forgetting the number of Spanish working in Gibraltar
so perhaps someone can tell me if such an aircraft can receive AIS |
It is funny how the Spanish keep so quiet about Ceuta and its illegal occupation!
launch the QE I say! |
Originally Posted by turbidus
(Post 10674933)
Gib has been a pain for everything..aerial, surface, and sub-surface transit.
Unfortunately, you have a non-nuclear weapon capable country (Spain) wanting a key passage to the Med that is protected by a nuclear weapon capable country (England) BTW, the country is the United Kingdom not England (at least for the time being!) |
For Gibraltar substitute Malvinas Paracel Is. Melilla Tuzla and from the sublime to the ridiculous Rockall and Taiwan
For Spaniards substitute Argentines, Faroese, Danes, Russians, Filipinos, Yanks, Chinese, Irish, Moroccans. All claim to be tolerant but deep deep down inside they are just Nationalistic like the rest of the Protagonists......... |
And at the top of the list of claims and colonies and all remnants from the 18th century and beyond is wht is now the UK. Clealry Gbraltar is Spansih and is part of Spain but we got the right to govern it at treaty of Utrecht .
As for incursions in air space-clearly not on the table back then as someone pointed out these appear about UK aircraft in the Spanish papers too but they are obviously lies because they are dodgy Spaniards and we are British and therefore always right. Gib obviously knew its mind on the Eu as it voted 100% remain -and was I dreaming that someone mentioned nuclear weapons in this context? I suppose nukes are about the only thing we have left and no doubt they can only be used with US approval |
Originally Posted by ATC Watcher
(Post 10675101)
Coast Guard and military navy patrol aircraft have an AIS receiver to identify ships. |
Originally Posted by turbidus
(Post 10674933)
a nuclear weapon capable country (England)
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a nuclear weapon capable country (England) The Chief Krankie would be happy for them to be moved here though. |
Sort of off topic but I'm sure the border queues will be long and slow tomorrow...
https://www.gbc.gi/news/gibraltar-ma...emony-frontier |
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