House of Commons Transport Select Committee shows concern for the future of the UK's Regional & Business Airports

Tuesday 20th January 2015

On Monday 19 January 2015 the House of Commons Transport Select Committee heard evidence from the aviation industry on the importance of regional aviation and how it supports transport infrastructure and importantly the development of regional economies. John Spooner, Chairman of Regional & Business Airports Group (RABA) gave evidence to the Committee explaining the vital importance of regional airports and the role they play in local economies which includes supporting key aviation activities, creating jobs and describing the fiscal and regulatory regimes. He explained that these add significant costs which small airports don't have the economies of scale to absorb. He also called for a more flexible and supportive policy framework around planning.

Commenting Mr Spooner said: 'It's very encouraging to see that the Select Transport Committee has recognised the vital importance of regional airports to bringing economic prosperity and social benefit to the Regions of the U.K. The questions they asked showed that they understood the challenges that regional aviation and smaller airports face every day and gave the impression that they want to help."

The Committee was asked to help secure access from the regions to London Airports, and allow excess areas of land within regional airport sites (not needed for airport purposes in the future) to be developed for non-aeronautical employment purposes. "It was particularly encouraging that the Select Committee appeared to recognise the multitude of social and economic roles performed by the UK's smaller regional airports not just in connecting the regions to the capital and to themselves but also enabling ambulance and transplant flights, helicopter search and rescue and oil and gas field support services, aircrew, flight and engineering training, aircraft maintenance and a whole host of other activities. These activities provide valuable skilled and unskilled employment opportunities often completely unconnected with aviation which make use of the perfectly located sites of many of our airports and airfields." He said.

The Select Committee was interested to explore why airports such as Plymouth, Manston, Coventry, Blackpool and others had faced enormous challenges during the economic recession. It was equally interested to explore what could be done to ensure that their future and that of the airlines, air ambulances, training and engineering companies and other employers could be made sustainable in the future.

The Committee was told by RABA that it was essential that the next runway to be developed in the London area served the UK's regions - and that runway slots must be reserved at the right times and at an affordable price for use by flights serving those regions.

The Committee also discussed how the costs of Air Passenger Duty and complying with UK regulatory requirements were particularly damaging to UK Regional Aviation.

RABA Group

Members of the RABA Group include Durham Tees Valley, Southend, Newquay, Gloucestershire, Exeter, City of Derry, Glasgow Prestwick, Coventry, Norwich, Carlisle, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Lands End, Lydd London- Ashford, Doncaster-Sheffield and Blackpool.