Corvera airport aims to take passengers from Alicante

The regional president anticipates competing for 40% of Alicante passengers

Progress in the struggle to open the new Region of Murcia International Airport in Corvera is stalled at the moment, pending European Commission approval of the government’s proposed equity loan to management company Aeromur, but that doesn’t mean that the airport is exempt from media attention and questions in the regional parliament.

The new president of the Region of Murcia, Alberto Garre, answered questions about the airport in parliament on Wednesday for the first time since his appointment, and apart from defending the legality of the proposed loan he also outlined what will be necessary in order for the Corvera facility to be a success.

The whole purpose of the airport, he said, is to increase tourism in Murcia and create wealth in the Region, and whether Aeromur makes a profit or not is of no concern to the government as long as it does so legitimately. In order for the airport to be viable, he added, it will be necessary for Corvera to take away as many passengers as possible from Alicante-Elche airport, and the president says that the new airport should be competing for as much as 40% of Alicante’s air traffic.

Sr Garre also spoke about the Corvera airport in a radio interview on Wednesday morning, repeating his opinion that the airport is ready to open “tomorrow” and that it is a viable and sustainable project.
On the subject of San Javier airport, Sr Garre had little to say: the issue of if and when it will close is now purely a matter for Aena to decide, he says.

Despite the widely quoted timeframe of six months after EC approval is gained, regional minister for Development Manuel Campos, also speaking in parliament, echoed his statement of last week that a date of “between September and December” is feasible for the opening.

Alicante airport is set to break the ten million passenger mark this year following the investment made by Aena into new installations and a new terminal which are finally starting to bear fruit. It has been reported in the Spanish media that an estimated three million of the passengers using Alicante airport are related to the Region of Murcia, and in fact are only using Alicante-Elche airport because the San Javier airport in the Region of Murcia lacks the flight timetables and destinations of its neighbour.

Click for further information about Alicante-Elche airport

Click for full Corvera Airport archive

Image: Copyright Murcia Today