Corvera, Los alcazares - Page 3

We are at Condado de Alhama, so only 20 mins from Corvera. Unfortunately there are no flights out of Newcastle to Corvera. We have flown both routes, flying from Manchester to Corvera,  and Newcastle to Alicante. Alicante won the day for us, and we will fly there, in the hope that Newcastle will eventually fly into Corvera. But not holding my breath!! 

Yes, unfortunately Corvera is situated in the wrong location - handy for people living nearby, Camposol and the Mazarron area but not so handy for further up the coast, Mar Menor etc where the majority of pepole visiting the Costa Calida want to be. That's why the old San Javier (Murcia) airport was so popular and had record numbers of folk using it. 

Only 2 flights again today. Gatwick and Manchester. Oops! 

Hmmm, could turn out to be another of Spain's white elephants.....

That's a blooming expensive white elephant..... They have got to make this work surely ? 

There have been so many fundamental mistakes made with Corvera - it started out as a mix of a vanity project for the Murcia city councillors, the need based upon vague plans for a massive theme park that never happened. The contract to run it should never have been awarded to Aena who were already operating Alicante-Elche as there is no need for them to compete with themselves for airlines and routes.

What may save it as a commercial airport is if the proposed Amazon base ever gets really built there, but I cannot see this influencing airlines to switch from Alicante.

It would have perhaps made more sense to move the Air Academy fro MJV, but San Javier city would have fought to the last man to stop this happening, and in any case San Javier is not really suitable for commercial traffic due to frequent and chageable sidewinds - that is why Ryanair crews used to slam the aircraft into the runway rather than try to land gently but risk a go-around or two, plus even with today's modern aircraft it is not ideal for large jets to be flying low over heavily-populated areas. Small fighter aircraft have crashed into the Mar Menor and the Med in the last year but even with their better manouverability the crews have been killed.

Although the local press like to suggest that RMU is struggling, the truth is that in its first year it looks set to handle more passengers than Almeria Airport which has been going for 20 years and never handles much more than 1m passengers.

RMU is never going to compete with Alicante Airport and some passengers who previously used MJV may now choose Alicante over RMU but I think it is wrong to write off RMU after less than a year.

Transport and infrastructure will improve, just give it time.

I found that very informative - the best yet. If Corvera is an improvement on San Javier for commercial flights, why does Ryanair have problems with it? Not that I'd use them anyway; I'm a loyal Easyjet customer. I wonder if they will start doing package deals to Los Alcazares. Not that I need them as I have a place here but I think it would be good for the area.  What isn't good - and I know I'm boring on this subject - is the constant complaining about the 25 minute drive to Los Alcazares compared to that from San Javier. The main problems I have are the extortionate cost of Corvera airport taxis and the inadequate bus service. A taxi from my pickup address in Bristol costs £20 each way. Alternatively, I sometimes use the Bristol 24 hour airport bus which costs only £7 from my pick up address to the airport - not that I'd expect a 24 hours service for Los Alcazares but 2 a day, at 11.00 hrs and 23.00 hrs, is ridiculous! 

Ryanair are probably playing a game of poker with Murcia region & the airport authorities.

Trying to get a knock down deal.

Sounds about right. That's business I guess.