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British expats rally for more winter flights to Majorca

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It’s the same old chestnut. Every autumn as soon as happy summer holidaymakers have packed up and returned home to different parts of Europe, Majorca rapidly goes into hibernation. The knock on effect of this is that resorts fast become ghost towns and hotels and restaurants close up from as early as November. Naturally this is dismal for the local job market and economy.  In the good old days – not so long ago – plentiful flights ran from the UK all year round including Heathrow, and visitors could pop over to the island for weekend breaks or for a dose of vino, vistas and sunshine whenever it took their fancy.

Why Majorca should be open for business all year round

Before relocating to Majorca from London, my husband and I would often give ourselves a treat of staying for a long weekend out of season at La Residencia Hotel in rural Deia, at the time owned by Sir Richard Branson. Nowadays that would be impossible as this landmark hotel in the northwest,  closes from November through to mid March. And why is that? Like so many other businesses here, it’s as if the end of regular direct flights from the UK heralds the grand finale of any form of tourism on the island. Majorca, like a sleepy dormouse, simply yawns and takes an extended nap while other resorts in the Mediterranean and elsewhere such as the Canaries, Egypt and Dubai clean up, luring winter holidaymakers in their droves to their neck of the woods.

Of course in truth Majorca cannot compete with destinations that promise sun all year round but instead it is able to offer fabulous hotels, restaurants, amenities, sports and attractions and local culture in spades.  But it’s not just the holidaymakers that are missing out on enjoying our heavenly little slice of paradise for nearly six months each year, but British property owners who are increasingly finding it difficult to find direct flights to the island. And let’s not forget British expats based here permanently, constantly thwarted by a lack of flights back home from November onwards.  If it wasn’t for a daily service – admittedly reduced – from London courtesy of easyJet, we’d all be up a gum tree.

The situation in Scotland is even worse and for five months in every twelve there are simply no direct flights to Majorca at all. Despite lobbying from the British expat community and calls for urgent action from the tourism department of the Balearic regional government, so far no headway has been made. It’s as if local politicians and tourism bosses have just weakly waved the white flag and decided that Majorca’s economy only needs six months of tourism – a very short-sighted policy if that’s the case.

So, weary of receiving countless letters from British holidaymakers, local British expats and Majorcans, Humphrey Carter, deputy editor of English newspaper,  Majorca Daily Bulletin, has taken matters into his own hands. Two days ago he created a petition calling on airlines and groups of investors to support more winter flights – even perhaps an island airline: Majorca Airways, anyone? He told me that ‘Much of the UK has been left stranded and frustrated at the lack of regular flights, especially from Scotland. Hopefully we can find an urgent solution ahead of next winter.’

Mr Carter who has already garnered 600 signatures, is urging all those who would like to see an increase in winter flights from Scotland and the UK in general to sign his petition here. With any luck where the Balearic regional government seems to have failed to tackle the problem, he and his feisty petitioners will succeed.

Anna Nicholas is an award winning blogger and the author of five humorous books about living in rural Majorca. Find out more about Anna Nicholas here or follow her on Twitter @MajorcanPearls


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