Political row after Flybe confirms sale of Gatwick slots to rival

A political row has been sparked after Flybe announced the sale of all its runway slots at Gatwick airport - which include daily services to Inverness - to Easyjet for £20 million.

The airline operates three flights between Inverness and London Gatwick from Monday to Friday and two on Saturdays and Sundays.

Flybe is set to continue to operate the flights until March next year but it is not known how these might be affected from then on.

It was revealed last week that Exeter-based Flybe was in discussions with Inverness Airport’s biggest user, Easyjet, which already operates daily flights from Inverness to Gatwick, as well as from Inverness to Luton.

Business leaders fear the company might not continue to operate all the services and could raise fares.

The deal is subject to approval of Flybe’s shareholders, which is expected in July.

Mr Fergus Ewing, SNP MSP for Inverness and Nairn, said: “The loss of these services would be a hammer blow for the Highlands.

"The Inverness Flybe service is the one used by Danny Alexander to get to Westminster – and now it is being withdrawn, in part because Air Passenger Duty is too high.

“That is because of the taxation policies of Danny Alexander’s own government – and he is guilty of the most appalling hypocrisy on this issue, just as he was on the question of his own North Sea tax plans which hammered the oil and gas industry.

“It is all very well hearing he is concerned but perhaps now the Chief Secretary to the UK Treasury will sit up and take notice and realise how damaging Westminster’s grip on Scotland’s economy is.”

Dave Thompson, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, outlined that the "damaging development" was entirely of Westminster’s making and had followed SNP warnings on the risk to Inverness flights.

He said: “The SNP warned that the budget hike in Air Passenger Duty would be damaging for Scotland’s airports and the wider economy.

"We told Westminster that increasing the cost for airlines to fly to Scottish airports is the last thing they need – but they went ahead and did it anyway.

“APD is already devolved to Northern Ireland. We need decisions over Scotland’s taxes to be made by people in Scotland, who are by definition the best-placed to put our interests first."

Earlier in the day local MP Danny Alexander said co-ordinated action was need to protect the links between the region and Gatwick

He said he had talked directly to Flybe, Easyjet and the Highland Council this morning and would be meeting local stakeholders in Inverness tomorrow to discuss the way forward.

Mr Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: "'These connections are absolutely vital for the Highland economy, and this announcement will clearly cause uncertainty for local businesses and the staff involved.

"The fact that this change will not take effect until the end of March next year does give some time to resolve the issues.

'It is clear that the astronomical increases in landing charges at Gatwick has hit Flybe hard. Last year's Civil Aviation Authority investigation changed nothing, but we need to press Gatwick to think again in the light of the damaging economy impact.

'There is clearly an opportunity for Easyjet to strengthen its Inverness to Gatwick services, but keeping early morning and late evening services will be critical for business, as will the ability easily to connect onto international flights.

"I welcome Easyjet's positive commitment to building on its Inverness connections, as well Flybe's commitment to maintaining its other services."

Meanwhile Mr Fraser Grieve, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry’s Highlands and Islands manager, said Flybe’s decision highlights the vulnerability that regional routes into London face.

"The air connections to and from Inverness are vital economic links and the move to Easyjet will likely result in both a loss of service and a lack of competition on the route.

"The UK’s leading international gateways must be able to accommodate the economic needs of the whole of the UK. Oil and gas services and food and drink in the north are two of the UK’s leading exports and they must be able to reach overseas markets. Tourists and investors must also be able to get to the north of Scotland.

"Urgent steps need to be taken to safeguard flights from regions without competitive alternative transport options."

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