Gibraltar International Airport

Gibraltar International Airport
New passenger terminal, with Rock of Gibraltar behind it
Summary
Airport typeMilitary / public
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operatoraerodrome: Royal Air Force
airport terminal: Government of Gibraltar
ServesGibraltar (UK), and
Campo de Gibraltar (Spain)[1]
LocationGibraltar
Time zoneCentral European Time (+1)
 • Summer (DST)Central European Summer Time (+2)
Elevation AMSL3.7 m / 12 ft
Coordinates36°09′04″N 005°20′59″W / 36.15111°N 5.34972°W / 36.15111; -5.34972
Websitewww.gibraltarairport.gi
Map
GIB is located in Gibraltar
GIB
GIB
Location of airport in Gibraltar
GIB is located in Europe
GIB
GIB
GIB (Europe)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 1,776 5,827 grooved asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Passengers446,187
Passenger change 2021–22Increase70%
Aircraft movements3,868
Movements change 2021–22Increase18.3%
Sources: WAD[2]
UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Gibraltar.[3]

Gibraltar International Airport, previously known as North Front Airport, (IATA: GIB, ICAO: LXGB) is the civilian airport that serves the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The runway and aerodrome is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as RAF Gibraltar.[3] Civilian operators use the civilian-operated terminal. National Air Traffic Services (NATS) hold the contract for provision of air navigation services at the airport.

In 2017, the civilian airport handled 571,184 passengers and 302,094 kilograms (666,003 pounds) of cargo on 4,888 total flights.[4] Winston Churchill Avenue (the main road heading towards the land border with Spain) intersects the airport runway, and consequently has to be closed every time an aircraft lands or departs. The History Channel programme Most Extreme Airports ranked the airport the fifth most extreme airport in the world, ahead of the now-defunct Kai Tak Airport with its infamous right-hand turn approach over central Hong Kong before landing, but behind Princess Juliana International Airport, famous for its low-altitude approaches over a public beach.[5] It is exposed to strong cross winds around the 'rock' and across the Bay of Gibraltar, making landings in winter particularly challenging.

Prior to its bankruptcy, Monarch Airlines was the largest operator at Gibraltar, but entered administration and ceased operations in October 2017.[6] As of 2021 easyJet is the largest airline operator, with the airport also being served by British Airways.

Although located in Gibraltar, the airport is also used by people travelling to or from neighbouring parts of southern Spain such as the Costa del Sol or the Campo de Gibraltar.

History

A bulldozer and steamroller being used during the construction of a new aerodrome on Gibraltar, November 1941
Winston Churchill Avenue crossing the runway with the rock in the background
Runway overview

Construction

The first attempt of passenger air traffic from Gibraltar was made in 1931 by Gibraltar Airways Ltd, using the territory's race course on the North Frontier, however the service closed after only three and a half months.[7] The actual airport was constructed during World War II upon the former race track, when Gibraltar was an important naval base for the British. Opened in 1936, at first it was only an emergency airfield for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA).[7] In 1940, a landing strip was made and the airfield was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm, mostly for anti-U-boat patrols and convoy protection.[7] However, the runway was extended in 1942-1943 by reclaiming some land from the Bay of Gibraltar using rock blasted from the Rock of Gibraltar while carrying out works on military tunnels.[7] By April 1942, the runway was extended to 1,150 yards (3,450 feet; 1,050 metres), by November 1942 to 1,550 yards (4,650 feet; 1,420 metres), and by July 1943 to 1,800 yards (5,400 feet; 1,600 metres).[7] This last major extension of the runway allowed larger aircraft to land at Gibraltar.[7]

Business development 2000-2009

On 3 November 2003, Monarch Airlines announced a new route from Gibraltar to Manchester Airport.[8] It was the first route from Gibraltar to operate to the North of England. However, on 19 July 2006, Monarch withdrew the route due to the cost. On 21 April 2008, Monarch announced it would resume the services to Manchester from 12 September 2008. The route operated three to five times a week: every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in winter season, as well as on Thursdays and Sundays in the summer season.

By late 2005 and early 2006, the implementation of a new agreement was one of the main topics of the Gibraltar Trilateral Forum being held between the Governments of Gibraltar, Spain, and the United Kingdom. As a result, the Córdoba Accord was signed on 18 September 2006 by all parties. This ended all discriminatory restrictions on civilian flights to Gibraltar International, including the prohibition of flights over Spanish soil, and exclusion of Gibraltar from all EU agreements on air transport, allowing civilian flights from all nations into Gibraltar International.[9]

On 17 November 2006, Iberia Airlines announced that it would start flights from Madrid to Gibraltar using an Airbus A319 aircraft. This was a landmark move, as no Spanish airline had flown to Gibraltar since 1979, because of its disputed status. Iberia began flights to Gibraltar International on 16 December 2006, with a flight from Madrid that included some members of the Spanish Government on board. GB Airways flew a one-off flight in the other direction with a group of children from the Gibraltar area making up the passengers. In May 2007, GB Airways (flying as a British Airways franchisee) also began operating the route between Madrid and Gibraltar, however, this was discontinued on 30 September, leaving Iberia to work the route alone. On 22 September 2008, Iberia announced that it would cease its flights to Madrid by 28 September due to "economic reasons", namely, lack of demand. This left Gibraltar, once again, without any air links with Spain.[10]

In April 2009, Ándalus Líneas Aéreas restored Gibraltar's air link with the Spanish capital.[11] In July 2009, Ándalus also began scheduled flights to Barcelona, increasing the destinations in Spain to two.[12] However, the airline ceased to serve this route in September 2009 due to a lack of demand.[13] In April 2010, it was confirmed that Ándalus flights to and from Gibraltar had been indefinitely suspended.[14] And now yet again, Gibraltar has no direct air links to Spain. Ándalus Líneas Aéreas ceased operations on 13 August 2010.

In 2009, British Airways moved its flights from Gatwick to its main base at London Heathrow.

Business development 2010-2019

From 2011 until October 2012, easyJet offered thrice-weekly service from Gibraltar to Liverpool, but it was eventually cancelled due to lack of demand.

On 18 May 2011, Bmibaby announced that it would launch flights from Gibraltar to East Midlands Airport from 31 March 2012. This was the first time that an airline has operated that route. The route operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, using a Boeing 737-300. However, on 3 May 2012, it was announced that Bmibaby was to be closed by the International Airlines Group after the group failed to find a buyer for the airline. Bmibaby operated its last service to Gibraltar on 8 September 2012, and the airline operated its last flight the following day.

On 10 January 2012, Gibraltar was selected as one of the 'World's Scariest Airport Landings and Take-offs' in the travel section of the Daily Telegraph due to its runway which extends into the sea.[15]

On 14 August 2012, Monarch announced it would launch a new route to Birmingham, operating three times a week; every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The route began on 23 March 2013, but changed to running on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.[16]

In the summer of 2014, services between Gibraltar and Marrakech were operated by Royal Air Maroc Express on behalf of a local travel company, Your Flight.[17] However, the services, which were operated on a charter basis, and could not be booked via global distribution system channels or on a connection basis, terminated after just three months due to insufficient demand.[18]

In November 2014, easyJet announced that it would begin a new route to Bristol Airport which commenced on 19 April 2015.[19]

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced in November 2014 that after many years, it would restore the short intercontinental air connection between Gibraltar and Tangier in March 2015 on a twice weekly basis. Unlike the previous Marrakech flights, these would be operated by RAM for themselves, and offer connecting flights to their Casablanca hub and onwards, and be available via normal sales channels.[20]

Overnight work to resurface the runway started on the evening of 4 September 2015, and the work was completed in January 2016.

In November 2015, easyJet announced that it would begin a new route to Manchester Airport twice weekly, making this the first time two airlines have competed against each other on the Manchester-Gibraltar route. The new route commenced on 3 July 2016. During the same month, Monarch announced a new route from Gibraltar to London Gatwick, beginning on 1 May running four times a week.[21]

On 2 October 2017, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed that Monarch Airlines had ceased operations with immediate effect and had entered administration. All flights were cancelled. Monarch operated about a third of the airports movements prior to shutting down.

On 12 July 2018, easyJet announced a twice-weekly new route to London-Luton, restoring the link between the two airports. The restored route started in December 2018.[22]

On 11 December 2019, easyJet announced a new twice-weekly service to Edinburgh, making it the first time that Gibraltar had a direct link to Scotland. The route was due to start in March 2020,[23] but was delayed until 5 June 2021 by the COVID-19 pandemic. EasyJet resumed services from Manchester on 20 July, Gatwick on 25 July, and Bristol on 4 August. The airline's service to Luton was axed as a result of the pandemic, and from increased competition by Wizz Air who began serving the route in December 2020.

Business development 2020-current

In October 2020, Hélity announced a new route to Málaga beginning 30 October, with flights operating three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.[24] The service ceased in November due to Covid restrictions.

On 4 February 2021, Eastern Airways announced two new routes to Southampton and Birmingham from 24 and 28 May. This marked the first time that Eastern Airways were to operate scheduled flights from the airport, as well as the first ever route to Southampton and the resumption of the Birmingham service that was lost after Monarch's collapse in October 2017.[25] Both routes ceased in 2022.

June 2021 saw a new EasyJet route to Edinburgh. Other EasyJet routes being London Gatwick, London Luton, Manchester and Bristol.[26]

2023 saw EasyJet flying to London Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol.

Panoramic photograph of Gibraltar International Airport in 2007, with time-lapse showing an aircraft take off.

Disputes regarding territory's status

The airport is located on the isthmus that connects Gibraltar with the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, and thus the country of Spain. Whether or not the airport's territory was ceded by the Treaty of Utrecht is disputed by Spain and the United Kingdom.[27] In the spring of 1815, Spain claims an epidemic of yellow fever struck Gibraltar, so that the British authorities built several barracks as field isolation in the neutral zone. On 20 April 1815, Lt. Governor of Gibraltar, George Don agreed with the general commander of the Campo de Gibraltar, General Don José María de Alós, that "a large proportion of the inhabitants [of Gibraltar] to [..] not [have] they suffered fever, temporarily established on the neutral ground, as close as circumstances permit, in front of this fortress".[citation needed]

Spain's continuing sovereignty dispute with the United Kingdom over the territory on which the airport stands (different from the generic one on Gibraltar itself) has seriously affected the airport's operations. On 2 December 1987, an agreement was signed between the governments of the United Kingdom and Spain to allow the joint civil use of the airport.[28] The agreement foresaw the building of a new terminal in the neighbouring Spanish municipality of La Línea de la Concepción adjacent to the northern side of the existing frontier. However, the agreement was blocked by the Government of Gibraltar, led from 1988 by Joe Bossano. As a result, the agreement was never implemented.

Since then, Spain successfully excluded Gibraltar from European-wide de-regulation initiatives, such as the Single European Sky programme, preventing direct links from Gibraltar to the European Union (EU), on the grounds that no regulation that somehow recognises the sovereignty of the United Kingdom over the Gibraltar peninsula may be implemented without a previous agreement on the airport.

Terminals

New airport civilian passenger terminal nearing completion in 2011

There is one passenger terminal at Gibraltar International.[29]

Old terminal

The original terminal at the airport was built in 1959, and refurbished in the late 1990s. For many years, it had been too small to cope with the number of passengers when two flights were scheduled to arrive and / or depart within a short space of time. The size of the terminal was 20,000 square metres (220,000 square feet), and had ten check-in desks, one baggage carousel, one security gate, and two departure gates. On 26 November 2011, arriving flights switched to the new terminal as the first phase of the new terminal opened. On 25 September 2012, the old terminal closed its doors as flight departures moved into the new terminal on 26 September 2012. The last flight to use it was easyJet flight EZY8904 to London-Gatwick. The old terminal building was demolished in February 2014.

New terminal

A new terminal was constructed at Gibraltar International due to increasing numbers of passengers.[30] Planning permission was announced in 2007, with construction of the new terminal beginning in 2009 and completed in 2011. The first phase of the new terminal opened on 26 November 2011 for arriving flights only. The second phase of the new terminal opened on 26 September 2012 when flight departures moved. The first flight to use the first phase was easyJet flight EZY7295 from Liverpool, and the first flight to use the second phase was British Airways flight BA491 to London Heathrow. The terminal's terrace was inaugurated by the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward on 13 June 2012.[31]

This new terminal is 35,000 square metres (380,000 square feet), which is 15,000 square metres (160,000 square feet) larger than the old terminal. It has two baggage carousels and three departure gates, none of which are equipped with jet bridges. It has a passenger capacity of up to 1.5 million passengers per year. Retail services are also available in the terminal, and these include WH Smith, 36 North Bar, and Gibraltar Duty Free Stores. A new general aviation area has also been built inside the terminal to handle private aircraft.

Expansion

New road access (Kingsway)

Background

Kingsway tunnel under construction in 2018

Since the construction of the airport runway across it in the 1940s, Winston Churchill Avenue - the main road in and out of Gibraltar - has crossed the airport runway. This has caused delays and tailbacks as the road closes when aircraft take off and land (more than 15 times per day).[32] Consequently, a bypass tunnel was proposed, to allow traffic to pass under the runway at all times.[33]

Construction

In the late 2000s, a project to build a tunnel and a four-lane diversion road was approved by the Government of Gibraltar. The construction contract was signed in November 2008 by Chief Minister Sir Peter Caruana.[34] With a cost around £30 million, the project was planned for completion in 2010.[35]

Construction on the project began in December 2008.[35] By the contracted completion date, only 25% of the project had been completed.[35] In July 2011, the Government terminated the contract alleging the contractor Obrascón Huarte Lain (OHL) had failed to comply with the contract.[35] In May 2012, the contractor took the Government to court, alleging wrongful termination of the contract, and sought £6.5 million in damages.[36] In April 2014, the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ordered the contractor to pay the completion costs of the project.[36]

In June 2016, the Government and OHL reached a settlement, with OHL agreeing to complete the project at a price of £24 million, with a completion date of November 2018.[37] Further construction delays owing to sub-standard work[38] meant that the tunnel was not handed over to the Government until summer 2022.[39] Testing and commissioning of various tunnel systems followed, including working with emergency services.[40] The final cost of the project was £34 million.[41]

On 31 March 2023, at one minute past midnight, the new road and tunnel access route to Gibraltar was opened to the public, and vehicular access across the runway was closed.[42] The road was named 'Kingsway' in an inauguration ceremony by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo the day before.[43][44] The naming of the road had been approved by Charles III.[45]

Kingsway

Kingsway passes under the new terminal and towards the eastern edge of the runway, at which point, it passes through a 350 metres (1,150 ft) tunnel[46] under it and connects via a roundabout with Devil's Tower Road on the opposite side of the runway. After the tunnel on the north side of the runway, Kingsway runs parallel to the frontier, passing under the air terminal fly-over section. The road then branches into two, with one road leading to the loop and the frontier, and another leading to the Air Terminal, North Front, and Winston Churchill Avenue.[47] A dedicated tunnel for use by pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooters is also provided on a higher elevation alongside the road tunnel. The total length of the new road is approximately 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi).[46]

Although the road across the runway remains in place, for exceptional, specific, or emergency use, it is not available for routine day-to-day use by private vehicular traffic. Pedestrians are not required to travel via the new tunnel, and can continue to cross the runway.

New car parks

A number of car parks are being built at Gibraltar International during its expansion, including a new 220-space, three-story car park located at the east of the new terminal. Another new car park is to be built by Eastern Beach, and two multi-storey facilities will also be built on Devil's Tower Road.[47]

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled flights at Gibraltar Airport:

AirlinesDestinations
British AirwaysLondon–Heathrow
easyJetBristol, London–Gatwick, Manchester

Statistics

passengers aircraft
movements		 cargo
(tonnes)
2008 378,603 3,958 624
2009 371,231 4,290 313
2010 305,325 3,346 296
2011 383,013 3,628 292
2012 387,219 3,490 314
2013 383,876 3,564 352
2014 415,103 3,730 384
2015 444,336 4,100 408
2016 548,230 4,968 404
2017 571,184 4,888 302
2018 440,998 3,868 192
2019 491,405 4,382 203
2020 186,069 2,290 175
2021 262,522 3,270 111
2022 446,187 3,868 121
Source: Gibraltar Airport Statistics[48]
Busiest routes from Gibraltar to the UK (2020)[49]
rank airport total
passengers		 change
2019 / 20
1 London–Heathrow 87,632 Decrease 46%
2 London-Gatwick 45,779 Decrease 76%
3 Manchester 24,796 Decrease 51%
4 Bristol 17,335 Decrease 65%
5 London-Luton 6,979 Decrease 73%

Accidents and incidents

  • On 4 July 1943, a B-24 Liberator crashed into the sea 16 seconds after taking off from Gibraltar Airport at 23:07 hours, killing all 11 passengers and 5 of the 6 crew. Among the passengers was Lt. Gen. Władysław Sikorski, commander-in-chief of the Polish Army and Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile, who had been inspecting Polish forces in the Middle East during World War II. A British inquiry ruled the crash an accident, concluding that the plane's controls had jammed for an unknown reason. However, several conspiracy theories continue to persist.
  • On 3 August 1983, an English Electric Canberra T.17 (WJ625) of 360 Squadron crashed into the sea at the eastern end of the runway. The aircraft entered cloud shortly after a three aircraft take off. WJ625 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after the pilot became disoriented and lost control. All three crew were killed.[50]
  • On 22 May 2002, a Monarch Boeing 757-200 (Registration G-MONC) suffered structural damage to the forward fuselage in the area of the nose landing gear during landing at Gibraltar while operating on a flight from Luton. The captain had used an incorrect landing technique, applying full nose-down elevator. This control input resulted in a high pitch-down rate at nose-wheel touchdown, exceeding the design limits, before the aircraft's nose-wheel had touched the ground. There were no injuries.[51]
  • On 17 March 2006, the flight deck crew of a Monarch Boeing 757-200 (Registration G-MONE) lost visual contact with the runway after passing the Visual Decision Point (VDP) while attempting to land at Gibraltar. During the subsequent go-around, the crew did not follow the correct missed approach procedures, but air traffic control (ATC) provided effective heading control to avoid striking high ground. The lowest altitude of the aircraft when over land was 2,100 feet (640 metres). The highest local ground elevation, just south of the airfield, is 1,420 feet (430 metres). Following the incident, ATC and Monarch changed their procedures to reduce the chances of repeating a similar occurrence.[52]
  • On 8 February 2017, a Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) vehicle drove onto the runway in a bid to stop an RAF Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft from taking off.[53] The ensuing stand-off between the RGP and Ministry of Defence caused delays of two hours for anyone crossing the runway via the road crossing. This was due to a serving member of the military on board the RAF aircraft being wanted by the RGP for alleged sex offences.[54] The suspect was eventually removed from the aircraft as well as his personal computer equipment, and the aircraft was allowed to leave two hours later.

In popular culture

The runway featured in a BBC Top Gear special, and was also used by Jaguar in the launch of a new range. A custom painted Boeing 737 was used in conjunction with a fleet of the cars. The airport appeared on Channel 5's series, Gibraltar: Britain in the Sun which was broadcast from June to July 2013.

The airstrip and the Four Corners Border crossing feature at the end of Carol Reed's 1963 production of The Running Man. Several 'takes' were shot as Remick and Harvey chase each other, firstly through the border and later as the light aircraft took off from the eastern end of the runway, narrowly missing an RAF Halifax aircraft which was supposed to be taking off too.[55]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Maps". Google Maps. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Gibraltar". WorldAeroData.com. World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)[unreliable source?]
  3. ^ a b "UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Gibraltar (LXGB)" (PDF). AIDU.MoD.uk. No 1 Aeronautical Information Documents Unit, UK Military AIP, Royal Air Force. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Gibraltar International Airport traffic statistics 2017" (PDF). Gibraltar International Airport. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  5. ^ Most Extreme Airports; The History Channel; 26 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Redundancies follow Monarch Airlines collapse with 860,000 customers hit". Sky News. 3 October 2017. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Ramsey, Winston, ed. (1978). "Gibraltar". After the Battle. No. 21. pp. 4, 7–15. ISSN 0306-154X.
  8. ^ "2008 news archive – flights – Monarch scheduled launches three new routes from Manchester to Barcelona, Gibraltar and Tenerife". Monarch Airlines. 3 November 2003. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Córdoba Tripartite Agreement". Archived from the original on 20 October 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2006.
  10. ^ "Spanish airline suspends flights". Sky News. 22 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  11. ^ Olivia, F (30 April 2009). "Ándalus airlines restores link with Madrid". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
  12. ^ "Ándalus signals Barcelona start". Gibraltar Chronicle. 18 June 2009. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012.
  13. ^ "Ándalus pulls Barcelona route". Gibraltar Chronicle. 24 September 2009. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012.
  14. ^ Searle, Dominique (10 April 2019). "Air Andalus abandons Gib flights". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012.
  15. ^ "World's Scariest Airport Landings and Take-offs". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. 10 January 2012. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  16. ^ "2012 news - flights - Monarch launches Birmingham Gibraltar route". Monarch Air. 14 August 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  17. ^ "Blands Travel - Gibraltar". Blands Travel. 28 January 2014. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  18. ^ "Marrakesh flights grounded". Gibraltar Panorama. 7 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  19. ^ "easyJet launch new direct route from Bristol Airport to Gibraltar". Bristol Post. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  20. ^ "Signature d'une convention de partenariat entre RAM et Gibraltar" [Signature of a partnership agreement between RAM and Gibraltar] (Press release) (in French). Royal Air Maroc. 13 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  21. ^ "easyJet to launch new flights to Gibraltar". Travel Mole. 9 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  22. ^ "easyJet schedules new routes from the UK in W18". RoutesOnline.com.
  23. ^ "easyJet to launch direct flights between Gibraltar and Edinburgh".
  24. ^ "Destinations | Helity". helity.es.
  25. ^ "Eastern Airways to launch Gibraltar flights". TravelWeekly.co.uk.
  26. ^ "INAUGURATION OF EASYJET SERVICE FROM EDINBURGH TO GIBRALTAR". 7 June 2021.
  27. ^ Duarte, Esteban; Penty, Charles (5 July 2018). "Why Brexit poses an existential issue for Gibraltar". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 13 September 2018. The airport is located on the border and has been long been the subject of competing claims. Spain says the land wasn't ceded under the Utrecht Treaty of 1713
  28. ^ "Joint civil use of the airport". Archived from the original on 12 December 2005. Retrieved 15 August 2004.
  29. ^ "Move of departure operations to New Air Terminal" (PDF) (Press release). Gibraltar Office of the Deputy Chief Minister. 24 September 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 November 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  30. ^ "Gibraltar Airport - visitors guide". Gibraltar Airport. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  31. ^ "Integration of new terminal". Gibraltar Chronicle. 14 June 2012. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012.
  32. ^ "Airport Tunnel to open on 31st March 2023 - 177/2023". Government of Gibraltar. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023. Prior to the tunnel opening, Winston Churchill Avenue is the only road linking Gibraltar to neighbouring Spain. The Gibraltar Airport runway was built across it in 1941, and incorporated vehicular and pedestrian routes to and from the frontier. In recent years, the road was closed more than 15 times a day to allow flights to take-off and land.
  33. ^ "Terminal is just the beginning". The Gibraltar Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  34. ^ "Airport Tunnel to open on 31st March 2023 - 177/2023". Government of Gibraltar. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023. The original contract was signed in November 2008 by the then Chief Minister Sir Peter Caruana.
  35. ^ a b c d Astengo, Ros; Joseph, Lathey (30 March 2023). "Airport Tunnel timeline - From 2008 to 2023". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  36. ^ a b "Government wins Airport Access Tunnel claim against OHL". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  37. ^ "Agreement between OHL and Gibraltar to conclude the tunnel under Rock's airport". The Diplomat. 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  38. ^ Garcia, Joe (15 September 2021). "£44 MILLION AIRPORT TUNNEL DELAYED DUE TO 'SUB-STANDARD WORK' - SAYS GOVT". Gibraltar Panorama. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  39. ^ "Airport tunnel 'likely' to be handed to Government in early September, meaning it could be open to public end of the year or start of 2023". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  40. ^ "Emergency services test response to tunnel incident ahead of Friday opening". Gibraltar Chronicle. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  41. ^ Culatto, John (1 April 2023). "WATCH: Traffic starts to flow through Gibraltar's new runway tunnel route to the frontier, named Kingsway". Olive Press News Spain. Retrieved 24 April 2023. The final cost of the tunnel was £34 million, but if it would be built it today it would cost £120 million, the Chief Minister said.
  42. ^ "Kingsway is now open & operational". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  43. ^ "KINGSWAY INAUGURATED - 187/2023". Government of Gibraltar. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  44. ^ "Kingsway is now open & operational". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  45. ^ Peralta, Gabriella (30 March 2023). "Over 14 years later, Kingsway Tunnel opens". Gibraltar Chronicle. Retrieved 24 April 2023. that the airport and tunnel access roads [and the tunnel]...will be known as Kingsway...and that has been approved by His Majesty himself today
  46. ^ a b "Airport Tunnel to open on 31st March 2023 - 177/2023". Government of Gibraltar. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023. The road from the new roundabout at Devil's Tower Road to the East Gate roundabout is approximately 1.2km in length, including approximately 350 metres of covered tunnel.
  47. ^ a b "New Air Terminal, tunnel under the runway and new road leading to all parts of Gibraltar north of the runway - New Road/Tunnel". GibraltarAirTerminal.com. Government of Gibraltar. Archived from the original on 24 November 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2016. and images of the proposals:"New Air Terminal, tunnel under the runway and new road leading to all parts of Gibraltar north of the runway - The New Air Terminal" (Press release). Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  48. ^ "Gibraltar Airport statistics". GibraltarAirport.gi. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  49. ^ "Airport Data 2020". CAA.co.uk. UK Civil Aviation Authority. 24 May 2020. Tables 12.1 (XLS) and 12.2 (XLS). Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  50. ^ "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 58798". Aviation-Safety.net. Aviation Safety Network.
  51. ^ "Monarch Accident G-MONC". Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 22 May 2002. Archived from the original on 24 November 2007.
  52. ^ "Monarch Accident G-MONE". Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 17 March 2006. Archived from the original on 9 January 2009.
  53. ^ Duggan, Joe (8 February 2017). "'Criminal offence' to blame for huge delays at Gibraltar Airport, source tells Olive Press". The Olive Press. Clarke Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  54. ^ Farmer, Ben (2 March 2017). "Gibraltar arrests three British military officials on suspicion of hindering sex offence investigation". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  55. ^ "Reelstreets | Running Man, The". www.reelstreets.com. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

Further reading

  • "Journal 30" (PDF). RAFMuseum.org.uk. Royal Air Force Historical Society: 60–70. 2007. ISSN 1361-4231.

External links

Media related to Gibraltar Airport at Wikimedia Commons

  • Official website
  • Press Release for New Air Terminal, tunnel under the runway and new road leading to all parts of Gibraltar north of the runway
  • Artist's rendition and architectural designs for new Terminal
  • Airport webcams, flight timetables and pilot data
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