What went on with that diverted flight to Malaga

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 Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 11:45

by Special reporter

Easyjet’s Bristol flight, carrying considerable numbers of University students heading home, attempted two landings at Gibraltar but both were aborted because of the gale force winds.

The aircraft diverted to Malaga but Spanish bureaucracy, associated with their lockdown measures, went into total confusion when this unexpected aircraft landed. 

No coaches were waiting for the passengers and the bureaucrats didn’t want 150 people hanging round the airport so the pilot was told he could not allow passengers to disembark. The Chief Minister became involved with Madrid to sort out that confusion.

As EasyJet are now flying very few aircraft to Spain, their ground agents were scarce on the ground at 10 o’clock at night and these few staff had no coaches readily available.

The pilot felt that, as he couldn’t take his passengers to Gibraltar and he had insufficient resources to allow them to disembark in Malaga, all he could do was to take the passengers back to Bristol - and he told them so.

Again the Chief Minister intervened and the ground agents were (slowly) able to bring the necessary coaches into Malaga Airport in order to take passengers to Gibraltar.

Late in the night, some very relieved passengers arrived home in Gibraltar on the coaches.

What caused the problem?

a. Spanish bureaucracy coming to terms with the new lockdown legislation

b. The ground agents who, after EasyJet’s many cancellations, had minimised their staffing levels and they struggled to bring in coaches with uncertainties about bringing in staff during the lockdown.

19-03-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR