The missing Gozo air link

I must say that as a director of Gozo Villas Ltd, a UK-based company specialising in arranging holidays for discerning UK clients to Gozo, since the closure of the helicopter service we feel that the island is certainly missing out on additional exposure.

My company used to be UK ticketing agents for Helisureste and prior to that MAC and during the few years that we worked with those companies, 80 per cent of our clients used the air link as a quick and efficient way to start and finish their holidays, having arrived at Malta Airport.

I accept that the running costs of helicopters is prohibitive, but understand that a small fixed wing plane such as the Otter Seaplane accommodating about 12 passengers would be ideal for use as a means of transfer between the two islands.

The existing seaplane service, which I am sure is very popular for sight-seeing trips etc. is not always able to land at Mġarr Harbour and in fact we had a private charter arranged in April which had to be cancelled at the last minute due to adverse wind conditions which prevented the plane from landing at Gozo that day.

If this plane was able to operate from Malta airport to the old Gozo Heliport on a regular basis, then we know that we would have a ready market of clients that would use the service.

This would tie in very well with Victor Mercieca's proposal of the old heliport being used for light aircraft and flight schools, by the laying of a short airstrip and utilising the existing terminal, fire service etc.

We at Gozo Villas are passionate about the island and anything that can promote the island and increase employment plus uplifting the public awareness of the island must be good news.

We have always felt that Gozo should be about quality up-market tourism, high value and low volume.

Due to the size of the island and the fact that Gozo has a good supply of quality farmhouses and smaller hotels, it is ideally placed to develop such a market, where Malta as the larger sister island has more capacity to appeal to the low value and high volume market, so the two would complement each other.

We for one would give our full support to restoring an air link between the two islands - the sooner the better I say!