A Royal Return
In a move that’s taken both aviation experts and members of the public by surprise, Monarch Airlines has announced that it is rebooting
The popular carrier ran into financial difficulty in 2017, leaving many passengers and holidaymakers stranded across Europe.
A firm favourite in Gibraltar, the airline served the Rock for many years, even gracing the side of the Rotunda building facing runway with a large advertisement.
Monarch was established in Luton in 1968 and latterly became a mainstay for travellers going to and from the Rock.
A spokesperson for the company said, “On the 18th of August we completed the critical first step in our mission to relaunch a much-loved name in UK travel when Monarch Airlines and Monarch Holidays were passed into new ownership.
“We’re now building a brand new Monarch and can’t wait to share more with the travelling public in the very near future.”
Keep an eye on letsmonarch.co.uk to find out more.
UK Reaffirms Commitment
The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia met with UK Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey MP.
The importance of Gibraltar to the UK military was reaffirmed during the meeting and the Chief Minister stressed the commitment of the Government and the people of Gibraltar to the armed forces. In total, the MOD is investing approximately £50m in capital expenditure on the Rock.
Other things that were discussed included the recent disruption at Gibraltar Airport. Also, Treaty negotiations with the EU were raised and the Minister was briefed on the plans for a No Negotiated Outcome.
The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC, said, “James Heappey is a good friend of Gibraltar who will always be welcome here. The visit reflects the positive state of relations between the Gibraltar and UK Governments, and with the Ministry of Defence in particular.”
GFSC APPLICATIONS
Both HMGoG and GFSC have been considering a new approach to licence applications by firms to operate in Gibraltar.
The aim has been to streamline the process into clear stages and front-load areas of importance. As a result of this work, a new methodology for these applications has been devised.
A consultation has been launched to garner opinions on this sector-specific approach which consists of a three or four-staged process.
Highlighting on the work of the authorisations review, GFSC CEO, Kerry Blight said, “Our obligation in providing speed to market alongside the highest international standards remains a priority and has been at the forefront of this work.”
The Minister for Financial Services Albert Isola MP added, “I am absolutely delighted with this work and commend Kerry and his team for this excellent and detailed review which will mark a significant change in our approach to firms applying to the GFSC. Speed to market is critical to our Jurisdiction, especially so when we are working to maintain the highest international standards and committing to faster response times. This is exactly what the industry needs at this moment in time.”
The deadline for the consultation is the 30th September 2023. The GFSC has committed to consider all responses and publish its conclusions shortly after.
