Concerns over future of Highland capital Gatwick air link
Concerns have been expressed about Flybe being in talks over the possible sale of its Gatwick arrival and departure slots, which include daily services to Inverness.
The Exeter-based company - former sponsors of Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club - are reportedly in discussions with Inverness Airport’s biggest user, Easyjet.
Flybe operates three flights between the Highland Capital and London Gatwick from Mondays to Fridays and runs two services on the route on Saturdays and Sundays. It is not known how these might be affected.
"Flybe’s daily service from Inverness to Gatwick is of vital importance to the region’s economy providing a key link through London to destinations around the globe," said Fraser Grieve, Highlands and Islands manager for the Scottish Council for Development and Industry.
"The news of a potential sale of their Gatwick slots shows the vulnerability of UK connections into London and the need to protect landing slots for domestic routes."
Easyjet already operates daily flights from Inverness to Gatwick, as well as from Inverness to Luton, but Mr Grieve thought the company might not operate all its services, and those Flybe currently has, if it takes over the slots.
"It is difficult to know what will happen," he added. "In terms of the Highland economy, businesses rely so much on these services to London."
It is believed the potential sale of the runway slots could provide a cash boost of up to £20 million for Flybe, which has reportedly faced soaring fuel costs, falling passenger numbers and higher airport duty since the end of 2010 and is expected to post losses for the year to the end of March.
Possible changes are unlikely to affect Flybe’s daily Amsterdam service which has been well received by Highland business and leisure passengers and makes it easier to reach long haul destinations via Schiphol, an alternative to London Heathrow, where no Inverness flights go to.
A Flybe spokeswoman described reports as press speculation, adding the company’s board is in discussions with a "number of parties" which may or may not lead to a "transaction regarding the exchange for compensation payment" of the arrival and departure slots at Gatwick.
"Discussions are ongoing and there can be no certainty as to whether any transaction will be forthcoming," she continued. "A further announcement will be made as soon as appropriate."
A spokesman for Highlands and Islands Airports, which includes Inverness, said: "I don’t think it would be appropriate for us to comment at this stage, without any concrete information."
An Easyjet spokeswoman also described reports as speculation and declined to comment further.
In October last year Hugh Aitken, Easyjet’s head of Scotland, insisted the company is "totally committed" to preserving its links between the Highland Capital and London Gatwick.
Since Easyjet started its Inverness operation in 1996 it has delivered more than 3.6 million passengers in and out of the north’s biggest airport, linking with Gatwick, Luton and Bristol.
