Greer Aviation
THE head of aircraft handling firm Greer Aviation today condemned ministers for evicting it and counterparts Landmark Aviation from Scottish Government-run Prestwick Airport.
Managing director Bert Greer said some 25 jobs could go because of the “nationalisation” of operations at the struggling Prestwick base.
The airport will take over duties such as refuelling aircraft. Mr Greer said the move threatened to drive aircraft elsewhere because his firm had offered a specialist service to customers such as the UK and United States military.
This has included arranging hotel accommodation and golf trips for personnel during stopovers.
Mr Greer said his firm, which has operated at Prestwick since 2001, had been give three months to quit, and predicted its departure with the loss of ten jobs would threaten Prestwick’s recovery.
He said: “This devastating and unwarranted state intervention in a functioning competitive marketplace not only deprives me of my business, and my locally-based employees of their livelihoods, but also puts at risk countless more [businesses] and people that depend on the business we bring to Prestwick and the wider area.”
He said Landmark, which employs around 15 people, was expected to take its Prestwick business to other airports.
He said: “We believe it will make it significantly more difficult for ministers to make a commercial success of Prestwick.
“There must be serious doubts that the present management team, in place throughout the recent and near fatal decline of the airport’s passenger and freight business, has the capability to improve on the success of two well-known and recognised industry specialists.
“This move will only distract the airport’s management team from focusing on delivering more airlines, passengers and freight to Prestwick, and undermine the chances of the airport’s long-term survival.
“It is anti-competitive for the airport company to terminate the leases of two competitor businesses in order for the owners to take over that business and consequently to benefit from a monopoly position in ground-handling services.”