Brian Stevendale, Business and Development Director for Gibraltar’s most prominent mixed-use marina resort, Ocean Village, says, “This move by easyJet makes good sense as Gibraltar rises in stature as a destination for both leisure and business travellers. The economy is thriving, particularly in the sectors of financial services and gaming, which creates increased demand for business travel, and tourist arrivals are now in excess of ten million each year. When our planned World Trade Center located adjacent to the Ocean Village site is inaugurated, easyJet, and indeed the other airlines serving Gibraltar, may want to revise their schedules upwards yet again.”
Paul Simmons, easyJet’s UK Director, was interviewed on Radio Gibraltar on Thursday and said that whilst easyJet had delivered a Gibraltar to London Gatwick service ever since they purchased GB Airways back in 2008, it had got to a level where demand was outweighing supply and the four new weekly flights had become necessary.
Simmons stated that there was a good possibility that the additional service would be extended from summer into the winter season as he believed that the route would be a success. With 20 bases across Europe, easyJet finds it very straightforward to turn on additional flights as soon as they see clear demand.
Simmons added that the target “load factor” for Gibraltar to London Gatwick was 80 to 85% of the 156 seat Airbus A319-100. He believed that easyJet could achieve this load factor throughout the summer and “wouldn’t be doing it if they didn’t think it would work”.
The news coincides with the opening of Gibraltar’s iconic new £50 million aircraft terminal to the public from 3 November. With building works almost complete, a period of staff training and testing of operating systems and equipment takes place prior to the terminal becoming a security restricted zone in accordance with EU aviation regulations – this window allows for public viewings by way of guided tours from 3 to 8 November. The Government is expected to release a statement shortly on the terminal’s official opening, predicted for the first half of 2012.
As part of the commitments entered into with Spain as a result of the 2006 Cordoba Agreement, the terminal building will have direct access onto Spain although this part of the terminal is incomplete as Spanish authorities delay the building of their installations. easyJet’
easyJet joins bmibaby, British Airways and Monarch who operate services to Gibraltar out of East Midlands, London Heathrow, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester between them.
For information on marina berths and residential real estate contact Ocean Village on tel 00 350 200 400 48, email info@oceanvillage.gi or visit www.oceanvillage.gi.
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for further press information or photography please contact Sarah Drane
on 00 34 607 564 726 or email sarah@purplecakefactory.com
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About Ocean Village - Gibraltar's Ocean Village is fast-gathering a reputation for being the rising star in the superyacht arena and is now competing with the most established marinas across the Mediterranean.
Located on the west side of Gibraltar, Ocean Village is the most sheltered marina in the region with close-up views of Africa some 14km across the Straits. As the ‘gateway to the Mediterranean’
Aside from geography, the Rock itself has obvious appeal to yacht owners. Gibraltar has Cat 1 Red Ensign Group status, EU membership and is the most important ship refuelling point in the Mediterranean thanks to cut-price fuel. It also has a favourable system of taxation (including no VAT), a no surprises legal system based on the UK and pound sterling as its currency.
