Ihf Calls For Urgent Regional Air Strategy

Greater regional access would considerably boost regional economic and tourism growth, John Power Chief Executive, Irish Hotels Federation said on the first day of the IHF's Annual Conference, in Kilkenny. He called on Government to immediately devise a regional airport strategy. This could include regional airports being run by local authorities as a part of their regional infastructure, with low or no landing charges being levied on airlines using such airports. This would attract low cost airlines and incentify them to increase service to these airports. Similar arrangements are in place in many small, low cost airports throughout Europe, where local authorities use such incentives to boost the economic activity in their regions. Ireland's peripheral location in Europe, means that regional airports have a crucial role in stimulating business and tourism development, and must be a prime focus of Government policy.

Mr Power called on the Department of Public Enterprise to carry out an annual review of the air routes to regional airports to establish the success, or otherwise, of each route. This should be done in conjunction with the local airports and the relevant airlines. He claimed while recent developments where Aer Arann and Loganair operate increased services from Dublin to the regional airports was to be welcomed, it was still only the first step for the development of national air strategy.

"Considering the Government is promoting greater decentralisation, fundamental to this is enhanced access throughout the country. This includes a better road and rail network, supported by national air service linking all parts of the country. Logistics dictate that it would take many years to bring our road network up to the desired standards, however, new regional air routes can be put in place quickly and without very much additional capital expenditure," Mr Power said.

He suggested that greater usage of regional routes should be encouraged by the availability of cheaper fares, and a frequent and punctual service. In this regard, the Government needs within its strategy to support the provision of such services. Many European regional airports impose no landing charges on airlines to incentify them to provide a service to their regions thereby boosting the local economy. These countries valued their regional air services as fundamental infrastructure and their regional development policy.

"Aer Arann is to be congratulated in securing the tender for the Donegal, Galway, Sligo, Kerry routes, however, to increase the usage of such services they must be facilitated to ensure fares become cheaper and thereby encouraged to avail of them," said John Power.

Mr Power raised his concern, that there is no air links between regional airports -all connections are routed through Dublin. This, he said, impedes those who wish to travel from one end of the western seaboard to the other.

"A study should be undertaken to establish the feasibility of such services and if such services are justified, to devise methods of supporting and incentifying them," he continued.

"To-date, the development of regional airports in Ireland has occurred without any cohesive national strategy. It is imperative that a national strategy would also examine regional airport efficiencies and compare their method of performance and financing with similar airports in other countries. Only in this way, can any realistic policy be developed to increase airport services and routes," concluded John Power.