Hands off our airports
16 January 2008
In the debate in the European Parliament on a Commission proposal on airport charges, Traditional Unionist MEP spoke out strongly in favour of exemption for regional airports. Making it clear that in Northern Ireland’s case its airports were vital to its economic dcvelopment and identifying deregulation, rather than regulation, as the way ahead, Mr Allister bluntly told the EU to stop meddling with more needless control.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
“The Commission talks much about promoting competitiveness in industry and cutting red tape, but its walk is often one that takes Europe in the opposite direction. So it is with its stance on air travel.
Having championed increased costs for air travellers through green taxes, we now have a proposed Directive on airport charges which inevitably will drive up costs for the flying public.
Regional airports have been the catalyst for progress in many regional economies. They have opened up markets, made the inaccessible accessible and been indispensable in economic transformation. Now, true to form, the Commission wishes to stifle them with the heavy hand of bureaucracy, burying innovation under a mountain of reporting requirements, for which the traveller will ultimately pay. If the genuine reason for this Directive is to tackle the abuse of a dominant position in the market, then why does it include regional airports at all? They aren’t the problem!
Northern Ireland’s airports are key to its development, yet at a time when President Barroso is providing soundbites of support and on the day a new route opens to Heathrow, we are debating a Commission proposal which will hike costs and discourage expansion.
Thus, without apology I will vote against this proposal.”
