Many of you may remember that some years ago we were all either excited or disappointed (depending on where our house was) that there was a plan to build an airport just outside Murcia (to handle the Paramount Theme Park traffic primarily which also never got off the ground) and there was also speculation that San Javier airport would be closed or may be allowed to remain. This was all the subject of much conversations in bars across the Murcia and Valencian regions.
Well time went on, and the airport was built and finished in 2010 and sat there like a white elephant unopened, while we all shook our heads in despair. Why? The problem was a legal battle between the local government and the concessionary Aeromur that had been awarded the concession, but had not opened the installations, giving lots of reasons (such as the economic climate). Eventually the government was so frustrated it rescinded Aeromur´s concession, who did not accept this decision and launched a Court battle, in the meantime, maintaining the installations at the airport. There was also the further complication of San Javier airport, which was meant to revert to a military airport but Aena would not close it unless compensated for the investment it had done into the military airport over these years. Last week the local government announced that at last the Courts had ruled in their favour and agreed the concession should be rescinded from Aeromur as they had not opened the airport. Of course they can still appeal, but that will rack up further expensive legal bills.
The local government now says, rather optimistically, that it will not be long before Corvera is opened. But as now the management tender will be put out if Aeromur do not appeal, there is still a way to go with this saga…
Well time went on, and the airport was built and finished in 2010 and sat there like a white elephant unopened, while we all shook our heads in despair. Why? The problem was a legal battle between the local government and the concessionary Aeromur that had been awarded the concession, but had not opened the installations, giving lots of reasons (such as the economic climate). Eventually the government was so frustrated it rescinded Aeromur´s concession, who did not accept this decision and launched a Court battle, in the meantime, maintaining the installations at the airport. There was also the further complication of San Javier airport, which was meant to revert to a military airport but Aena would not close it unless compensated for the investment it had done into the military airport over these years. Last week the local government announced that at last the Courts had ruled in their favour and agreed the concession should be rescinded from Aeromur as they had not opened the airport. Of course they can still appeal, but that will rack up further expensive legal bills.
The local government now says, rather optimistically, that it will not be long before Corvera is opened. But as now the management tender will be put out if Aeromur do not appeal, there is still a way to go with this saga…
