Flybe: Govt committed to regional connectivity and APD review

Coronavirus implications

“Unfortunately, in a competitive market, companies do fail, but it is not the role of government to prop them up,” said Shapps. “Globally, aviation is facing challenges due to the impact of coronavirus. The government is well prepared for this.

“As the wider economic picture becomes clearer, the chancellor has said that he stands ready to announce further support where needed.

“I have today [Thursday] written to Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), the independent UK slot coordinator, asking them to explicitly take in to account the implications of flying empty planes on the UK’s environmental commitments in reaching decisions on slot alleviation in relation to coronavirus.”

Shapps’ plea to ACL mirrors a missive from Iata calling for regulators around the world not to penalise airlines for suspending flights during the coronavirus crisis by taking slots off them under the so-called “use it or lose it” rule, which means airlines lose slots if they do not operate 80% of scheduled flights under normal circumstances.

On connectivity, Shapps reiterated the government’s plans to work with industry to re-establish key Flybe routes, with Eastern Airways and Loganair already having stepped up to the mark on certain routes, and added he had spoken to airlines and airports to reiterate this.

“We are pleased to see airlines have already committed to operating a number of these routes in the near future,” said Shapps. “I am conscious of the impact on all regions of the UK, particularly Northern Ireland, and the importance of air-based connectivity.

“The aviation minister has spoken to counterparts in the devolved administrations to ensure they are kept informed of the latest developments and are aware of the response plans put in place by my department and the Civil Aviation Authority.

“Levelling up connectivity across our regions and nations is a top priority for this government, which is why we are undertaking a review of regional connectivity to ensure the UK has the domestic transport connections local communities rely on – including regional airports.

“The treasury is also reviewing APD to ensure regional connectivity is supported while meeting the UK’s climate change commitments to meet net zero by 2050.”