The government continues to turn its back on aviation and regional airports when both have the ability to help kick-start regional and national economies.
The claim comes from Peel Airports, the owner of Liverpool John Lennon airport and Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield ahead of its response to the consultation on the Department for Transport’s draft aviation police framework.
The company will highlight the need for a coherent national aviation policy which places the industry and regional airports at the heart of the economic drive for recovery and rebalancing of the national economy.
Peel Airports will also highlight the damage to the industry and regional economies caused by policies, which include Air Passenger Duty and the support given to other transport modes at the expense of aviation.
Chief executive Craig Richmond said: “Airports such as ours have the opportunity to get the UK regional and national economy back on track, however we need government policy to work with us not against us.
“We will be calling for a joined up approach by the Treasury, the DfT and the industry on resolving the APD issue and support the need for an independent study of the economic impact of APD on the industry, UK regional airports and the UK Plc.
“Our counterparts across Europe continue to have the support of their governments making them far more attractive to airlines than we are.”
Peel welcomed the results of a survey for the Airport Operators Association released earlier this week which showed that 82% of people think APD should cut or frozen in Chancellor George Osborne’s autumn statement.