Corvera Airport

If anybody, like us, have been holding off booking summer flights incase Corvera is open on time.  I've just read this report to say that the opening of Corvera is likely to be put back to October 2012.

http://www.laverdad.es/murcia/20111006/local/region/murcia-defendera-hasta-ultimo-201110061541.html

Here it is in its entirety, via Google translate.  I'm sure you'll get the gist if it!

 The UGT union has warned on Thursday, during the meeting held in which a hundred employees of the airport of San Javier participated, who intend to defend their position "until the last job" should San Javier be closed and operations switch to Corvera ".
The intention of the union, UGT sources said, is that "more than 300 existing jobs are retained and can be transferred entirely to the new airfield."
During this event, Federico Lombardo, head of UGT federal Aena, and Raul Gomez, Head of Institutional Relations of UGT in Aena, together with the general secretaries of the federations of Transport, Communications and the Sea (TCM), the Federation Service (FES), and Public Services Federation (PSF), amongst others, Murcia UGT, have addressed those present, to demonstrate, first hand, which have to be known as the "existing aircraft dislocations after the anticipated decision of the State of closing the commercial air San Javier, the benefit of future private airport at Corvera. "
In this sense, Lombardo recalled that since UGT "eight years ago that predicted the closure of San Javier by urban speculation, and that promoted the interest in Corvera airport."
"To date, Aena has confirmed that in March 2012 it is impossible for the new airport is operational, contrary to what is said from the regional government," he underlined, then added that "in any case, that Aena state Corvera will open at the earliest, October 2012 due to the extent of the changes which must be initiated in the Air Navigation Plans at San Javier, the aerodrome of sewer, and Corvera Altet. "
In line, the union official lamented the "great improvisation of all public officials who do not stop to optimistic ideas about the future international airport in the region" as "the news of closure of San Javier and Murcia is hurting lowering recruitment packages that are made six months view. "
However, Lombardo has confirmed that from Aena, have secured the transfer of the 81 jobs the company Corvera, but, he explained, "so far, nobody has assured us that the other serving in positions auxiliary enterprises which have fed the current airport at Corvera ensure continuity and will depend on the negotiation process to close San Javier and its continuity in the new location. "
For his part, Nicolas Vicente Carrion, general secretary of TCM-UGT, has criticized "the lack of promotion that has always had monumental San Javier and promotion of new private airport has led Ramón Luis Valcárcel, giving a guarantee of 270 million euros Air Aeromur the Consortium for the construction and commissioning. "
In the same vein, Pedro Canovas, general secretary of FES-UGT, has called attention to "the 1.6 million euros of Employment and Training Service (SEF) that have been designed to train future workers in Corvera" .
At this meeting, has also joined the regional deputy PSRM-PSOE, Joaquin Lopez, who has informed those present of the debate in the day Wednesday at the Regional Assembly with regard to the future of San Javier, saying " introduce a motion on behalf of all jobs, rejected by the majority vote of the PP, which filed its own motion on similar lines, but not making it clear the future of jobs in ancillary businesses. "

Had read something similar a few days ago and also a report regading Ryanair and their unproductive negotiations regarding the airbridges at Alicante. They just dont want to pay to use the new access bridges so are threatening to pull out of Alicante and are not committing to Corvera. They say they have plenty of other European options for routes, to cover the drop in income, so could drastically reduce flights into Murcia if they cant reach agreement about being allowed to let passengers walk out from the airport to the planesor vice versa. The article appeared to say that it isn't anticipated that other airlines would be able to step in, in a major way, and fill the gaps left if Ryanair withdrew as other airlines are committed to their present routes and dont have the investment for extra planes. So there is potential here for a real lack of services into Murcia if neither party backs down or far fewer options for lower fares.