The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that long-standing Spanish restrictions on British military aircraft remain in force for flights linked to RAF Gibraltar, but insists the measures have no

practical impact on operations.

Defence Minister Al Carns told Parliament that UK aircraft are being “routed so as to avoid Spanish territorial airspace, in accordance with Spanish restrictions on UK military overflights.” Despite the detours, he stressed that “RAF Gibraltar continues to operate as a sovereign UK military airfield, and the current overflight ban by Spain does not impede our operational freedom with respect to aircraft movements.”

Carns was responding to questions from Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire, who asked whether Defence Secretary discussions with Spain had touched on the issue. While Carns said UK and Spanish defence leaders meet regularly to address “a range of issues of shared strategic interest,” he confirmed that overflight arrangements have not featured in recent talks.

He also said no assessment has been carried out on any financial implications of rerouting aircraft through alternative international flight corridors.

RAF Gibraltar serves as a key strategic and logistical base for British operations across the Mediterranean and North Africa. Despite its importance, airspace access has remained a point of friction between the UK and Spain for decades, with disputes dating back to the 1980s. Photo by Steve, Wikimedia commons.