Red Arrows air show in Spain AXED by Defence Secretary in furious row over Gibraltar
DEFENCE Secretary Grant Shapps put two fingers up to Spain by cancelling a Red Arrows air show in a furious row over Gibraltar.
The Spanish, who claim The Rock as their own, made it virtually impossible for the display team to perform there for the first time in 14 years.
In retaliation, Mr Shapps axed another show in Menorca yesterday — while the daredevil pilots were preparing to take off at dawn.
A source said: “The Spanish were being d***s about the Gibraltar show.
“They had threatened to ban inbound civilian flights from using Malaga as their designated diversion airport.
“That would mean every plane to Gibraltar would need more fuel to get to an airport further away in an emergency.
“That’s more weight, more cost and, as some airlines might decide it’s not worth it, fewer flights to Gibraltar — which would hit the island’s economy.”
Local officials, facing an election next month, took the threat seriously enough to ask the Ministry of Defence to cancel the Gibraltar show.
Angry Mr Shapps went even further, by banning the Menorca one too.
A defence source said: “It’s totally hypocritical.
“Spain were happy for the Red Arrows to perform in Menorca, to boost that island’s economy, but not on Gibraltar.
“They can’t have their paella and eat it.”
The MoD said: “As part of operational planning, a variety of potential display dates and locations are considered by the RAF.
“A wide range of factors are taken into account.”
The Red Arrows have performed in Gibraltar just twice in the last 30 years, the last time in 2009.