The circumstances might have been fortuitous but Corvera Murcia Airport has highlighted its potential in impressive fashion as it begins a second year of operation.
A significant increase in passenger numbers and flights at the airport in January, compared with the same month in 2019, was caused by two unrelated situations.
In the first place, the airport (officially known as the Región de Murcia International Airport) was only inaugurated on 15 January 2019, so last year that month’s comparative figures applied to only two weeks of operations.
Second, the airport was required to boost its services during five days in January, when flights were re-rerouted from Alicante-Elche Airport due to a fire in the terminal and a rapid evacuation from the airport; and later due its closure for a further two days when Storm Gloria hit the neighbouring Alicante province and Valencia region.
By all accounts, Corvera Murcia’s airport team handled the additional pressure effectively and professionally, highlighting the fact that the airport will be well prepared when it eventually reaches its total capacity. Currently it is operating at around 90 per cent of its capacity for commercial flights.
In February, according to latest figures released by Aena, the state airport authority which is also the airport’s franchise operator, Corvera Murcia registered 341 aircraft operations and moved a total of 33,211 passengers.
During the emergency at Alicante-Elche (and at Valencia, also affected by Storm Gloria), Corvera Murcia Airport took on 244 re-scheduled operations, representing a total of 34,359 passengers.
Discounted Flights from Murcia to the Canary Islands
Binter has launched a special programme enabling clients to fly between Murcia and the Canary Islands for reduced fares. Available for purchase until 16 March, the tickets are from €107,69 per flight, if a return journey is booked for the period 4 May to 31 July 2020.
The offer is part of the airline company’s overall objective to improve connectivity between the archipelago and the Spanish mainland.
During meetings with tour operators and other industry representatives at the 2020 Fitur tourism fair in Madrid, Binter noted that it already operated five routes to its Canary base (from Vigo, Mallorca, Pamplona, Zaragoza and Murcia) and planned to add two more (Santander and Vitoria) at the end of March.
Binter added that it also linked the Canaries with 11 international destinations in western Africa and Portugal, and was the only company connecting all the islands, with a daily average of 200 flights.
Furthemore, the airline highlighted the fact that, in 2019, it became the first European airline to operate the Embraer E195-E2, “the most sustainable modern jet aircraft, which can transport more passengers and cover longer distances”.
Carnival Time
In the meantime, Murcia – like many other regions around Spain – is in the throes of the vibrant carnival season.
Three not to be missed if you are in the area this month are the Carnaval del Cabezo de Torres (continuing until 29 February), Carnaval de Águilas (until 14 March) and Carnaval de Cartagena (now in its final days).
