ARCHIVED - 235 extra flights diverted to Corvera airport this month!

Problems at Alicante-Elche give the airport in Corvera a chance to show its potential

After two eventful weeks at Alicante-Elche airport and the Region of Murcia International Airport in Corvera normal service is now fully resumed, and the regional government of Murcia is highlighting the fact that operations at Corvera ran as smoothly as could be expected during the two episodes in which large numbers of flights were re-routed there from the Costa Blanca.

A fortnight ago dozens of flights were diverted from Alicante to Corvera due to a fire in the terminal building in El Altet, but that unexpected boost to passenger numbers in the Murcia airport turned out to be nothing more than a rehearsal for the closure of Alicante-Elche for 36 hours between last Sunday lunchtime and Monday night. According to José Ramón Díez de Revenga, the minister for Infrastructures in the Murcia government, the closure of Alicante-Elche due to the strong winds and torrential rain brought by Storm Gloria brought the number of flights added to the arrivals and departures boards at Corvera during the month up to 235, related to six airlines and 45 destinations all over Europe.

The success in dealing with such a large volume of extra traffic – during the winter there are sometimes no more than six flights a day at Corvera – indicates that the new airport is well equipped to handle such a volume of activity, according to Sr Diez de Revenga, as well as showing that it can operate for far more hours a day than it is usually open.

Interestingly, he also claims that the episodes during January show “the need for this airport int eh Region of Murcia”, expressing confidence that the month will mark a turning point in the growth of the infrastructure, and indeed it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that airlines may become more interested in scheduling flights to and from the Costa Cálida now that it has been demonstrated that Corvera is equipped to handle large numbers of flights.

At the same time the minister made a point of thanking all of the Aena staff, employees in ancillary services companies, taxi drivers, police and Guardia Civil officers whose efforts at Corvera over the last couple of weeks ensured that the sudden glut of flights caused no problems.

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