In the commercial air passenger transport sector, everything can change in a matter of hours. And even more so in the current situation in which a couple of major outbreaks of covid can cause the cancellation of all forecasts and throw all schedules into disarray. However, with all these conditions, and according to official data, Ibiza airport already has reservations for forty commercial flights from the UK on the 1st of July, which represents no less than a 1,000% increase in activity compared to the same day last year.
The percentage is outrageous, but it needs to be put into context. July 2020 began with uncertainty : society’s emergence from confinement, the slow opening of borders … Still unaware of the brutal setback that tourism would take just a few weeks later, a total of 31 flights (landings and take-offs) were expected at es Codolar airport on the first day of July, four of them from the United Kingdom: two from Scotland and another two from England.
These were high figures at the time, but not very significant compared to what is being recorded now.
For example, 268 flights were managed at the airport yesterday (between arrivals and departures), 237 on Friday and 168 on Saturday. Far from the 31 scheduled for the first day of July last year.
No quarantine
Now, the increase in British flights is due to the UK opening up the islands as safe destinations; that is, from July 1 its nationals can visit the Balearic Islands without having to undergo quarantine and two PCR tests on their return.
And the islands are also one of the few Mediterranean tourist destinations open to the British market. Hence the sudden rush of flights to Ibiza.
The opening of the United Kingdom market has caused the largest increase in reservations for the island’s hotels this summer and a significant rise in the price of flights from the UK.
In fact, last Thursday a Briton could fly to Ibiza with Ryanair for 155 pounds. The following day, after the British Government’s announcement to include the Balearic Islands in its ‘green traffic light’, prices had almost tripled and stood at around 300 pounds.
On July 1, 2020, Ibiza was experiencing, as now, the beginning of a season that was presumed interesting. But like then, it all depends on how the pandemic evolves.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.