Highlands-London air travel raised with UK minister

There are concerns over sales of London landing spots by Flybe. Picture: TSPL

The SCDI, an independent economic development organisation representing 1,200 companies, public sector bodies, charities, trade unions and faith groups, fears the impact of any reduction in services as a result of the possible sale by Flybe of the Gatwick slots.

SCDI’s Highlands and Islands Manager Fraser Grieve said: “There are real concerns over the potential loss of air services between the north of Scotland and London and it is vital that businesses across the region speak up on this issue.

“We cannot allow our connections to and through London to continue to be eroded, as we have seen over the years.

“The north of Scotland will be severely hindered by any reduction in air service and we hope that steps can be taken to safeguard these vital lifeline connections with London and beyond.”

The organisation has written to the Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin outlining their fears.

It states: “Potential talks over the sale of Flybe’s 25 arrival and departure slot pairs at Gatwick Airport, have raised concern over the future of connections from Scottish Airports, and particularly Inverness.

“Leaving aside the specific issue of Flybe, these reports show the financial value of the slots at Gatwick and the vulnerability that routes, such as the one to Inverness, can face as a result of insufficient capacity at key airports such as Gatwick and Heathrow.

“SCDI have consistently warned that the Government’s decision not to allow increased capacity at Heathrow and Gatwick airports would lead to airlines and airport operators prioritising long-haul flights.

“We know that Gatwick’s charging structure has resulted in significant increases per departing domestic passenger in recent years. We are convinced that the UK’s leading international gateways must be able to accommodate the economic needs of the whole of the UK, and that the Government will need to revisit mixed-mode operation at Heathrow and all options to increase hub capacity, including a third runway at Heathrow.”

Inverness has suffered over the last two decades from a loss of access to Heathrow.

The frequency of services declined from 22 flights a week in 1988 to none at all in 1998. The route was reinstated by bmi from 2004, but it terminated again in 2008. Its loss was a blow for many in the business community throughout the Highlands and Islands and has increased the reliance on the Gatwick link.

The letter adds: “Whilst Easyjet are rumoured to be the most likely purchaser of these Gatwick slots we simply do not know if they would choose to keep the same Scottish connections or would use the slots for other domestic or international routes.

“As an example Flybe currently operate three return services a day between Inverness and Gatwick, with Easyjet operating one service to Gatwick and one to Luton. Should the slot sale be made to Easyjet it would be likely the level of service would reduce significantly, with the key early morning and evening timings potentially affected and connections from Inverness to London and beyond suffering. With only one operator fares could also be driven up due to a lack of competition on the route.

“The public and private sectors, including airport operators, in the north of Scotland are working hard to improve regional connectivity and enable growth in the economy.

“Industries in Scotland are making a major contribution to the UK’s economic recovery and have strong prospects for growth in emerging markets.

“Oil and gas services and food and drink in the North are two of the UK’s leading exports, Inverness has also had positive announcements regarding life sciences and business service investment which could be hampered by reduced connectivity.

“The Highlands and Islands are also one of the UK’s most attractive visitor destinations.

“Government decisions and indecision on capacity has artificially constrained the market response to demand for slots - these are not commercially unviable services, but, in the absence of sufficient capacity, airlines are choosing to substitute more lucrative services. Government intervention to protect important regional services is therefore necessary and justified.

“We cannot allow our connections to and through London to continue to be eroded as we have seen over the years. We must now see action to increase airport capacity and protect Scottish connections with both Heathrow and Gatwick.

“The north of Scotland will be severely hindered by any reduction in air service and we believe that slots at these airports should be ring-fenced for flights from regions without competitive alternative transport options. I would urge you to take action on this matter to safeguard vital regional lifeline connections to and through London.”