Guernsey Press

Open skies proposal hits turbulence

THOSE who take the time to read all 1,921 words of Derek Coates’ evisceration of the quasi open skies proposal will find a detailed argument born of painful experience and one which raises many deeply troubling questions.

Published

Those who go a step further and return to the original Billet from the Committee for Economic Development looking for answers will be sorely disappointed.

For, in common with a modern trend in States reports, the open skies report is woefully short on detail and, instead of examining all sides of the argument, it carefully skirts around those aspects that do not suit.

So Economic Development spends much of its energy focusing on which routes should be defined as lifeline while the four-paragraph section on what happens to ‘All other routes’ is full of hope and not much else.

Deputies (and islanders) are simply told that open skies is how most of the world operates and it should reduce the admin burden on airlines.

With the analysis by the chairman of Blue Islands in mind, however, the concluding phrase is of little comfort: ‘Ultimately, it is hoped that this approach will facilitate new route development and encourage the creation of innovative solutions to meeting travellers’ needs.’

And that’s it.

If this proposal is to take flight there needs to be much more. For while Blue Islands is by no means an impartial commentator they do have deep knowledge of the market and raise valid points.

How will open skies prevent airlines cherry-picking the best months at the expense of the year-round operator?

Will passengers lose flexibility as schedules are cut? Will Aurigny lose even more taxpayer money on non-lifeline routes when faced with predatory competition?

In a boom and bust market will passengers find flights cut and tickets cancelled as airlines struggle?

Is the Guernsey market just too small to have multiple airlines competing for a limited business?

Economic Development may say it has answers. Yet it had the opportunity to present them in its Billet and chose not to.

Islanders will draw their own conclusions.