Spain blocks flight plan

THE British government has slammed a plan to exclude Gibraltar from a key European airspace initiative.

The Spanish foreign ministry is to veto the Single European Sky scheme, set up by the EU to accommodate the growing level of air traffic in Europe.

The plan involves dividing the continent up into blocks of airspace, which would ignore national boundaries, placing Gibraltar and Spain together.

Spain is now being accused of turning its back on a 2006 tripartite agreement which gave Gibraltar an equal say along with the UK over issues concerning the Rock.

“Under the Cordoba Agreement of September 2006 Spain agreed to stop seeking the suspension of Gibraltar Airport from future EU aviation measures,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.

“The UK will continue to do all it can to hold Spain to its international commitment.”