Originally Posted by
RetiredBA/BY
So, it is clear that FlyBe was an important part of the UK infrastructure linking many smaller and “ remote “ airports around the country thus providing a valuable essential connectivity facility.
Heres my take:
The UK government should immediately nationalise FlyBe and resume this connectivity at the earliest time, like next week !
After all, we are spending billions on HS2 just to reduce journey time on a limited number of routes already quite well served.
The government spent billions supporting mismanaged banks.
It intends to nationalise a failing, failed northern railway network. Cost ?
We are spending many millions on so called “ smart “ motorways. Bloody dangerous in my view.
We throw away billions on overseas aid much of which we know is wasted.
Time to support our own people and supporting FB and the connectivity they provided would be peanuts in comparison to the above.
... and if my proposals are. In contradiction to EU rules and they kick up, tell Brussels to get lost, we are leaving, have left the EU and this is an internal UK matter
A nationalised FB would be NO threat to Ryanair or BA but if OReilly and Walsh whinge about it offer THEM the chance to run the new FB which would then have no routes duplicating , say BA and Ryanair.
If they make a profit they can keep it, if they make loss so be it, thvey had their chance and their losses prove their whingeing was baseless.
Government support for essential “ connectivity” flights is not new as the Norwegian Government and Wideroe are well aware.
Time for some “out of the box “ and creative thinking by Johnson and Schapps if they are really serious about connectivity.
Amusing rant, but not one which has any likelihood of happening!
What do people think is the rational public policy response to the FlyBE collapse (within the bounds of reason)?
I would like to see APD cut in half (so to £6.50) for domestic flights; and scrapped altogether for domestic flights where no realistic alternative than flying exists (which could be defined as no rail connection between relevant conurbations of less than 3 hours duration - which would effectively lift it entirely for BHD, JER, GCI, NQY but not EXT, SOU, ...).
Can anyone explain what the current special APD provisions are for certain Scottish airports? Is APD devolved to the Scottish government?