08 April, 2013

By VIVA Team

The expanded and improved Málaga airport will receive 22 new direct routes by the summer

The expansion is starting to pay off. After Málaga airport’s multimillion euro facelift a couple of years ago, the only tangible benefit felt by the average flyer was a wider choice of overpriced food to choose from.

Actually, that’s pretty harsh. The sparkling new airport is a delight to pass through, a triumph of design and engineering. A shining beacon of the Costa del Sol’s affection in the hearts of tourists the world over. Proof that Spain’s EU and tourism millions can, sometimes, be well spent…

But the forthcoming holiday season sees Málaga airport come into its own with the recent announcement that 22 new and direct routes are to be added between now and June. Spaniards keen to get away to the Welsh capital of Cardiff, Belgium’s beguiling Brussels or the Teutonically terrific cities of Dortmund or Hannover can now do so direct from Málaga.

The favour is returned, meaning thousands of sun-starved Welsh no longer have to trek across the Severn Bridge from Cardiff to Bristol airport in order to get their Fuengirola fix.

Aena, Spain’s airport authority, announced the new routes to coincide with the traditional post-Easter lull, providing an uplift for the country’s economy, which is more dependent on foreign tourism than perhaps ever before.

Come the summer peak, more than 50 airlines will operate throughout Málaga airport, strengthening its position as the third European city with the most flights from and to the UK.

Routes to Germany – the second most profitable market for the Costa del Sol after the loyal Brits – are also being improved in order to take advantage of the country’s thriving economy. Ryanair now has a direct connection between Dortmund and Málaga, while Vueling has been flying passengers from Hannover to Málaga since March 17.

And by mid-June, Turkish Airlines will fly direct between Istanbul and Málaga, opening up a gateway to the lucrative Asian and Middle East markets. That month will also mark the resumption of direct flights between Málaga and New York’s JFK, thanks to Delta Airlines.

Positive news stories about Spain have been hard to come by so far in 2013, but – as ever – the potent combination of tourist money and Costa del Sol sunshine delivers a glimmer of good news.