Humphrey Carter17/04/2015 00:00
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Two days ago the Bulletin launched an online petition for more winter flights and by yesterday afternoon over 380people from  the Balearics to across the UK had signed up to the cause.Granted, the sun may be shining and plenty of flights from the UK to the Balearics now operating but, if the winter flight campaign is put on the back burner this summer, when winter comes around again at the end of October, the UK, in particular Scotland, will be virtually cut off from the Balearics and the winter flight debate will begin all over again. It is over the summer that we have to act  if any ground is going to be gained and new  winter flight programmes scheduled, hence the campaign running on our Facebook page and website.
In just two days, over 300 people have signed the petition and  if we  can keep up this momentum and  eventually take a petition signed by thousands of people both here in the Balearics and in the United Kingdom to the local authorities and the airlines, perhaps then we may be able to achieve our goal.
And, it is not only Britons who are signing the petition, local Spanish residents too because they either want to travel to the UK all year round to visit friends and family or can see the merits of having a proper winter tourist  season which would create  greater income and more jobs.
But the reasons people are giving for signing the petition are numerous.
Many are just frustrated that they can not get to Majorca/UK easily during the winter and therefore opt for alternative destinations.
Holiday home owners can only enjoy their second homes for six months of the year while the business community is also concerned.
The Majorcan Golf Federation has been discussing the lack of winter flights.
Sources for the federation have told the Bulletin that the shortage of direct flights is costing the local golf courses  serious losses in revenue  and the federation is also studying what action it could take to resolve the problem.

COMMENTS FROM SOME OF THE SUPPORTERS

UNITED KINGDOM: I want to be able to visit Majorca throughout the year
SPAIN:Tener mas turismo en la isla en el invierno y crear mas empleo. (We would have more tourists on the island in winter which woud create more jobs)
CHEADLE HULME, UNITED KINGDOM:
We have a house in Minorca and travelling to and from this has become increasingly difficult over recent years.   SPAIN: Desperately needed by all residents
Julie Everton CHEADLE HULME, ENG
Need more flights to Minorca
UNITED KINGDOM: I want to be able to visit Majorca throughout the year
SPAIN: Hacer mas facil para la gente que viven aqui para viajar a GB (tambien creando empleo)
(It would be easier for people who live here to get to GB and it would create more jobs).
NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM: I sign because we have friends there & to travel in the winter months we can only go from London airports & we live in the north.
PALMA, SPAIN: Para que mi familia pueden visitarme (so my family can visit me)
ANTRIM, UNITED KINGDOM: I live in Northern Ireland and visit Majorca at least twice a year , usually April and September when the weather suits my cycling activities.
I would really prefer to travel there during the winter months and would do so even more regularly for short visits during the winter if direct flights were available at all. As it is at the moment to travel there in the winter months involves at best a connecting flight through one of the London airports and takes a whole day whereas a direct flight only takes about 4 hours. I know of many others here who are of the same view.
BEDFORD, UNITED KINGDOM: We need to go once a month at least
TIPTON, UNITED KINGDOM
I love Majorca and will holiday there no matter what time of the year.