The island should reinstate direct flights to Majorca in another air bridge similar to the one being set up with Guernsey, says a leading travel business figure.

Jan Wozniak, director of Freedom Travel, has made approaches to the government in a bid for the return of holidays direct from Ronaldsway to the largest island in the Balearic Islands.

And he hopes it could take off with an air corridor from the island to Palma by late September or October.

He spoke to Business News as it was announced by the Chief Minister Howard Quayle that an air corridor was being launched with Guernsey next month.

Mr Wozniak told Business News: ’As the weeks have gone by people have begun to feel more confident about travelling.

’Basically people are looking to go away and we are being inundated with inquiries for 2021.

’Only this week we should have been in Majorca as part of the direct flights programme and sadly that had to be cancelled.

’We have contacted government to see whether, like the Channel Islands, they would consider an air bridge from the Isle of Man to Palma for our direct flights.’

Mr Wozniak said his business contacts in Palma were indicating that they are back in business.

He said: ’Our office in Palma are saying to us that things are back to business, the Germans are going in, hotels are starting to open up and they are complying with all the Covid-19 conditions.

’We’ve been doing direct flights for 10 years. We have asked if it is possible that later in the season we can resume our direct flights to Majorca, and that is what we are waiting for a reply on.

’It’s very early days but it is what we are hoping for our business.

’We are looking at late September/October, I believe it can be done.’

He added the UK was expecting to open air corridors to various European holiday spots ’and we are in a better position than the UK by far at the moment’.

Talking generally, Mr Wozniak said that as a matter of course Freedom Travel in Strand Street, Douglas, has launched its summer 2021 holiday plans for pre-registering.

The company has been changing existing bookings to next year.

He stressed: ’I appreciate safety is paramount.’

The Health Ministry in the Balearic Islands confirmed two more coronavirus deaths in the Balearic Islands yesterday (Monday) taking the total to 226. There were also eight new infections, marking a slight rebound from the downward trend of the last few weeks.

Meanwhile in Guernsey there have been zero active cases for nearly two months.

The island has had a total of 13 coronavirus deaths.

Asked if he felt island residents would have an appetite or demand to take part in direct flights to Palma he said that in his opinion Manx residents enjoy travelling.

He said: ’People seem to have the confidence. At the beginning I would have said no because we were talking 2021 but people are asking us daily about it.

’We are open now and people are coming into the shop and are asking the questions.

’We are being asked all the time about our direct flights and people have also been asking about the Channel Islands.

’If you are going to the Channel Islands then one would think that we could go to the Balearic Islands especially with the news that the Spanish authorities are feeling confident.

’This is something that is going to need government approval.’

’I’m listening to all this talk about opening air bridges and suddenly I’m thinking we are talking not only about the Channel Islands, we could also be talking about Majorca here.

’Majorca is open and they are inviting everybody over.’

Chief Minister Howard Quayle announced an ’exciting and unprecedented’ opportunity to launch flights between the island and Guernsey in July, with the Channel Islands carrier Aurigny.

He said it was an ’alliance born out of the pandemic’.