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| The Plane Man, by Juan Ripollés - sadly, the sculptor was left out-of-pocket for expenses associated with the stunning work |
The desire of some European politicians to spend future public funds
to help reinvigorate their domestic economies resulted in numerous
civil work projects, many of which were abandoned shortly after construction. In
places like Spain, the situation is glaringly obvious with public
buildings, pools and even airports sitting empty, based on failed
speculative theories on increased consumption and use.
In Castellon, a
province in NE Spain, a 15 year plan to construct an airport to
increase tourism to its postcard-perfect beaches eventually came into
existence 4 years ago. The project was launched with the hope it would tap into various
regional carrier markets, on the assumption that foreign money would
continually flow into the region’s hospitality and that the real
estate market would see increases on par with other parts of the world
.
Europe’s sustained economic recession, however, has resulted in high
levels of unemployment and corresponding less continental travelers
flocking to Spain, let alone relatively undiscovered regions such as
Castellon.
Despite the airport sitting idle beyond a few charter
flights, expenses were paid for security and rodent and bird
exterminators, anxiously preparing for the days when the airport would
receive national approval and international use.
This was more than an unneeded, useless €150 million boondoggle - the former politician who cooked up the idea, Carlos Fabra, is currently serving 4 years behind bars for tax fraud associated with the project. The renowned sculptor Juan Ripollés was left out of pocket for his masterpiece gracing the airport's grounds. A whopping €30 million was wasted on advertising. The private contractor hired to operate the airport for 50 years sued for cancellation of his contract. And it took f4 years to be approved as meeting regulatory requirements. No wonder Spaniards were sore about the ghost airport.
Well, the day of
waiting has come to an end.
Ryanair will start operating flights to/from Castellón de la Plana Airport, or Castellón-Costa Azahar Airport, with multiple weekly flights from London Stansted
and Bristol. Ticket sales have opened, and flights commence in September.
Related resources
Spain's 'ghost' airport finally gets ready to welcome its first flights as Ryanair confirms routes between Castellon and the UK
Ryanair to serve Castellón Airport from Bristol and Stansted
Spanish 'ghost' airport's unused runway to be dug up - 2012
In Spain, a Symbol of Ruin at an Airport to Nowhere - 2012
Castellon de La Plana Airport (CDT) transportation guide (watch for updates)
