The Royal household has confirmed to the president of the Murcia Community, Fernando López Miras, that he will open the new Murcia International Airport Juan de la Cierva on Tuesday 15 January.

López Miras said “The presence of the King at the opening of the International Airport is the finishing touch to the work that has taken so many years”

However it is still unknown who will form the entourage of representatives from central government, although the president of the Community will be present on behalf of the regional delegation.

The president added that “the International Airport of the Region of Murcia will be the gateway to more wealth, more employment and more opportunities for all of Murcia. In my opinion, it is a key instrument for the present and for the future of one and a half million Murcians.  It will also be a fundamental stimulus for national and foreign tourism”

The airport will open with 12 destinations to and from three countries of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Belgium. However in the summer the number of destinations to Spain and across Europe will increase. “We have confirmed new flights and talks with the companies are still ongoing,” he said.

Juan de la Cierva, after who the airport will be named, was a Murcia born engineer who was responsible for designing the very first autogyro rotary wing aircraft in Madrid in 1920. However, it’s not a name that expats are likely to be getting their tongues round anytime soon so for the time being Murcia International Airport will no doubt continue to be known as Corvera.

Murcia San Javier Airport, meanwhile, will sadly close to civilian traffic on the night of 14 January