Iberia flights Gibraltar-Madrid switch to evenings for the summer.

Iberia flights to Gibraltar Airport will switch to an evening schedule in advance of the coming summer season.



Since they began operating the route in late 2006 (following the Cordoba agreement where Spain agreed to lift some of her discriminatory air restrictions) Iberia flights have operated at lunch time.

But the schedule has been unpopular as it requires passengers to commit most of the day to travelling. From 2nd May 2008 flight times will switch to the evenings. This will enable people to remain at work/school on the day of their flight and also allow business travellers to make use of their flight day.

Old Schedule:
Depart MAD 1150, Arrive GIB 1300.
Return GIB 1350, Arrive MAD 1500.

New Schedule:
Depart MAD 1930, Arrive GIB 2040.
Return GIB 2130, Arrive MAD 2240.

According to Iberia's published schedule the first flight at the new times will be Friday 2nd May.

[Though there seem to be a few different start dates floating about, JimenaPulse gives May 20th (possibly a misprint for 2nd), and the iberia.com web 'timetable' lists an evening flight on 27th April - the same day as last lunch time flight, but this is also probably a simple error as tickets are not actually being sold for an evening flight on the 27th.]

There is no word on any increase on frequency from the present Fridays and Sundays.

When first launched the flights were daily, however lower demand led to them being reduced to just weekends for the winter. A element of the low demand can certainly be attributed to the midday flight times.

However if there is not the demand for a full A319 service daily, hopefully we can get Air Nostrum (who operate as 'Iberia Regional') to also fly the route.

Air Nostrum regularly receive high praise on all routes they operate (which include services to Italy and France and other European destinations.

Operating a single cabin for all passengers on most routes, called 'regional business class', they offer a better product than Iberia mainline themselves - who rather let down the standards of the OneWorld alliance by making people pay for refreshments on standard tickets.

Introducing daily evening flights to Madrid would also plug some of the present gap following the EasyJet take over of GB Airways.

The replacement British Airways service is currently limited to one flight a day due to BA aircraft shortage. As it is an early morning flight it prevents people flying into Gib doing a same day European connection.

An evening Madrid service would allow passengers who seek a business class service to still make same-day European connections inbound. (Outbound same day connections possible via BA in London.)

Free Bus Efficiency

The Gibraltar Women's Association are advocating free Bus travel in Gibraltar. A move that would of course help alleviate traffic congestion and parking problems and also be a step in the right direction environmentally.

However unfortunately they've qualify their thinking, saying that eligibility should be limited to local residents and verified by showing your ID card.

By continuing to have a paid system existing - albeit existing for a reduced number of people - we would continue to have the need for tickets, ticket machines, drivers to carry cash floats, and banking matters.

This means we'd get none of the benefits in efficiency that would come from going totally free, just a reduction in the number of people the payments system will be used by. Also, by having an identity check vs a payment, the speed of boarding doesn't improve.

Different routes will have different passenger make-up, but there are clearly three groups: Local residents, Non-resident locals (such as those who live in Spain but work in Gib), and tourists.

While only the residents will be tax payers, there are clear benefits from getting everyone on the bus - benefits for the whole of Gibraltar plc.

Either you have a subsidised bus service or you don't. However where we have chosen to limit our subsidy approach (at a mid point - either the present midpoint or the GWA proposal) is daft. To really enjoy the benefits, we must fully commit to the subsidised model.

Heathrow Airport offers a free fare zone in the immediate area - why? Because it recognises that making public buses free in the immediate (almost city-centre level hectic) area is the best way increase bus usage for people moving about the area and reduce congestion. The free services applies to everyone - staff, tourists, residents and all...

Unfortunatly in Gibraltar I expect all progress in the area to be protested by our militants-in-waiting - the Gibraltar Taxi Association. This time they must not be allowed to hold the wider interests of Gibraltar to ransom.

Their business is an A to B business. The Gibraltar Bus Company operates services from X to Z (via Y). It is the passengers job to get A>X and Y>B. This is not like for like business, no matter how much the GTA think they are the only people who are allowed to operate transport in Gibraltar.

I was going to post a link to the Gibraltar Bus Company website, but unfortunately they still haven't got anything on it (www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi). So please before you start ditch that domain and get www.bus.gi - it would be so much better.

Watching the Foreign Affairs Select Committee

BBC Parliament will today be screening the evidence session of the UK Parliament Foreign Affairs Select Committee session from Wednesday.


In this session Chief Minister Peter Caruana was invited to appear before them to update the members on Gibraltar matters.

The Chief Minister covered a large array of Gibraltar matters and was also quizzed by the committee on general overseas territories issues.

During this Mr Caruana referred the committee to a definative ruling in the House of Lords concerning the Quark Fishing case. Although it does not involve the Rock in any way, it provides a definative ruling confirming the role of the Queen as Sovereign and Head of State of each Overseas Territory directly - with no reliance on the relationship between that territory and the UK.

And also that legally the appointment of Governors as HMs representative is direct appointment by the crown and not the UK government in any respect - any advice from the Forign Secretary is given in their capacity as a member of her majesties Privy Council, and NOT as a member of the Government of the United Kingdom.

The session was repeatedly extended as it progressed, in the end running for 1 and half hours and only forced to stop as the committee's MPs were due in the Commons chamber for Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) starting just 4 minutes later.

The session is shown on BBC Parliament at 6pm UK time (7pm Gibraltar time) and runs for 90 minutes.

It can also be watched as an on demand video stream for up to a month at the ParliamentLive.TV website, however this recording is sadly missing the opening remarks of the session.

Bowling and Ice Skating prices

The Kings Bastion leisure centre will be open 7 days a week, from 10am until midnight.

Prices for the Ice Skating and 10pin bowling are as follows:

Bowling:

From 10am to 6pm: £2.60 per person per game.
After 6pm: £3.60 per person per game.
Games for upto 12 people.

Children's mini bowling lanes are £1 per person.

Ice Skating:

Open from 11am until 11pm.

1 hour session, including skate hire, will cost:
£3 per person, before 6pm.
£4 per person, after 6pm.