Més per Mallorca are calling on Brussels to bring an end to “ghost flights”. | R.L.
Palma13/01/2022 09:35
Airport figures have always been a bit of mystery to me. For example, the airport authorities pump out grand figures but, and this despite having asked time and time again, we get no break down as to how many of the flights are actually bound for Palma and are not connecting flights. It is a bit like how many people are going to hospital because they know they have Covid and how many are being admitted other reasons but test positive on arrival.
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The resorts close down in the winter. This is normal. If you're living in a resort, then it's easy to conclude that the island is "dead". Until you leave the resort. It's difficult to find resort hotels open this time of year, which may help explain why the rural hotels, villas and others are still booked. It also may help explain why I have to drive 20km per hour behind large groups of cyclists wearing German emblemed Lycra. Or why the shops and restaurants are busy with obviously not local residents speaking funny languages. Visit Palma. No, not heaving like in summer, but everything's open, reasonably busy, and plenty of obviously not locals enjoying their usual alfresco lunches and all the other attractions that bring them there. And frankly, outside of the 2 or 3 British resorts, English accents have always been rather rarer than others, so it's quite a stretch to assume that if you're not hearing English accents, that "nobody's here". There's 3600 sq km of Mallorca. Only about 30 of them can be reasonably defined as "British dominant". And yes, they're probably pretty quiet right now. They usually are.
A bit like "ghost tourists' really. Many visitors have their own properties, and even bring their own food with them, and the bulk of the rest are all-inclusive and either spend a minimal amount around the town, or don't even leave the hotel. The place is dead, and getting deader so you can see why, not counting people returning home here, or staying and living aboard boats, add on the tens of thousands of cruise ship "tourists", - but they're all counted as "tourists"just the same......
I don't know how many "ghost flights" there are, and as you point out, neither do you. But the airport publishes their daily arrival head count. You might want to check that for more clarity. But bookings are obviously up. Tourist tax is usually paid with their accommodation booking, and I'm not aware of any other "entry fee". There's a surprising number of tourists on the streets and in the shops and restaurants right now. It doesn't seem to bother them.
They do carry mail etc on each flight.
New Entry Charge when did they come up with that ? How much dose that cost ? which glorious Politician came up with that idea ? what is that money going to be spent on ? there crazy no one is going to be coming to Mallorca anymore .
The problem for Tourists/Visitors to Mallorca starts at the arrival queus at the control points. It is reported that bookings are increasing to the Island. But those people may be unaware of the problems and costs to come here. Tourist Tax and the new Entry Charge will cause lots of long frustrating delays. This could cause more Ghost Flights..