Nearly 12 years ago, in December 2006, I was a reporter covering the first-ever direct flight by a Spanish carrier from Madrid to Gibraltar. It was an Iberia jet and the Spanish foreign minister at the time was aboard, along with other dignitaries. There was optimism in the air, after a thaw in the long dispute over the Rock, which Spain ceded to Britain 300 years ago, but still claims.

In 2006, Spain, Britain and its territory Gibraltar agreed to permit the historic flight and some joint use of the airport. But the thaw didn’t last for more than a few years.

Fast forward to my trip to Gibraltar this week to report on its current concerns about Britain’s exit from the European Union and how Spain is making Gibraltar, and especially its airport, an issue for Britain’s Brexit agenda. 

Spain wants shared management of the little airport if it is to be included in Britain’s hoped-for easy access to European Union airports after Brexit. Otherwise, Spain says the airport could be isolated. But Gibraltar says there can’t be shared control of the airport. 

Gibraltar’s new glass airport terminal stretches around, right to the Spanish border, but there’s no similar building on the Spanish side, a terminal that had been envisioned to connect on both sides of the frontier for joint use. And what’s striking is how the road connecting Spain to Gibraltar still forms part of the airport’s runway. So that every time a flight lands or takes off, the road is closed, and people and vehicles simply wait five or 10 minutes until authorities give the all clear to cross the runway again. Which can be kind of interesting, if you don’t happen to be in a hurry.