COVENTRY Airport’s dispute with Warwick District
Council over its temporary passenger terminal is heading for the High Court.
The council will serve an injunction on the TUI-owned
airport in the next six weeks asking it to stop using the terminal and demolish
it within a month of receiving the notice.
The airport has defiantly insisted it will keep using
the terminal to handle Thomsonfly passengers – a move that will lead both
parties to the High Court to seek a judge’s decision on whether the terminal
needs planning permission.
If the court backs the council, TUI will have to stop
using the terminal.
The row marred the successful launch of TUI’s low-cost
airline Thomsonfly from Coventry last week. Flights to Jersey, Rome, Valencia,
Venice and Malaga launched with solid load factors and little operational disruption.
Airport managing director Bill Savage said: “We were
very pleased with the launch. Operationally, on the first two flights we were
slow, but things speeded up as staff became more confident. It’s just a shame
we have this cloud hanging over us.”
Warwick Council planning officer Gary Stephens said:
“We expect the injunction to be challenged, and we are preparing for that. We
hope to have a final decision in one or two months’ time after the notice is
served.”
He said the legal fight would have no bearing on the
council’s decision on the airport’s application for a permanent terminal
facility.
The airline has already sold 200,000 fares and hopes
to increase that number with a high-profile £4 million advertising campaign and
seat sale.
Thomsonfly chief operating officer Alex Hunter
insisted he was unfazed by the legal threat.
“The airport has a good understanding of this matter
and the opportunities open to it. We will keep flying,” he said.
Hunter said Thomsonfly was
nearing a deal with a second UK airport to launch flights to Europe.