Alex Trelinski
A NEW seaplane operator in the Balearic Islands has run test flights this week ahead of launching its service in the New Year.
Isla Air Express is based in Palma de Mallorca and is backed by German investors.
The carrier will use a pair of De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter seaplanes.
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It’s first service is planned to be a 35-minute flight between Palma and Ibiza which was tested on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The tests are being performed to allow the company to evaluate landing and take-off zones for its aircraft.
These flights are the culmination of six years of planning as the company seeks operator permits from both the Balearic Islands Port Authority and the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency.
Isla Air Express said on its website: “The Balearic Islands provide the ideal environment for this kind of operation.”
“The mild climate and surrounding waters are the perfect environment in which to operate all year round, providing benefits for both the general population in the form of access to a novel new type of transport, and for tourism by equipping the tourist industry with a high-quality product that brings added value to the sector.“
Once established, the operator plans to offer high-frequency services from Palma to Ibiza, Formentera, and Menorca.
There will also be flights from both Palma and Ibiza to Alicante-Elche and Valencia airports where the planes can land on tarmac runways through the use of retractable wheels affixed to their floats.
The craft are planned to operate all-year round.
When not used for scheduled services, the carrier plans to offer the two planes for private charter and sightseeing flights around the Balearic Islands.
