Reduction in airport opening times due to lack of funding
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A DECISION to reduce opening hours at Wick Airport was taken on cost grounds, it was revealed last night.
The move was originally attributed to staffing problems but that was a subsidiary issue, Inglis Lyon, managing director of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), revealed.
Speaking after a ceremony to rebrand the aerodrome as Wick John O’Groats airport, Mr Lyon spoke of the controversy which has arisen following the recent closure of the airport on Friday mornings and all-day Saturdays.
"Approximately half our funding comes from government amd a year ago they took about £1 million from the revenue funding so we had to look at measures to save money," he said.
The HIAL boss stressed there was little demand for the services on Friday mornings and Saturdays but also said the decision was influenced by staffing issues as an air traffic controller "left rather suddenly."
He said a replacement was currently being trained and should be in post in about 40 days if everything went to plan.
However, that will not mean that the airport will then re-open on Friday mornings and Saturdays although that would be accommodated if demand for the service was there.
Local Highland councillors have been lobbying to have the cuts reversed as they claim the closures set back the drive to bring new business to the area to coutner the rundown of Dounreay.
Mr Lyon argued that reducing the opening hours at the airport had had no impact on scheduled or ad hoc (non-scheduled) traffic.
"The decision has not impacted on scheduled traffic which is the lifeblood of this airport and has not impacted on non-scheduled services such as helicopters," he said. Indeed, he stated that numbers in the latter category were slightly up compared to the same time last year.
He was keen to rebut claims from Andy Bruce, who owns the airport-based Far North Aviation, that his business had suffered because of the latest closures.
Mr Lyon said HIAL was committed to the far north airport and outlined the investment which had been made in the facility in the past few years, including a refurbished terminal building and a new lighting system at the airport.
He also pointed out that HIAL was to get European funding for what he described as cutting-edge technology to help reduce the difficulties caused at the airport by haar. In addition, Mr Lyon, said the company was in talks with the two existing airlines at Wick — Eastern Airways and Loganair — about possible route expansion.
"We are looking at doing things differently but discussions are at an early stage and that is all I can say at this stage," he added.
Regarding complaints relating to poor transport links between Wick and John O’Groats, Mr Lyon, said HIAL could not do anything about local bus services but was aware of the "chronic shortage" of car hire facilities at the airport.
"That issue has been addressed. Europcar has been here for the past two to three months and has been working very well," he said. Mr Lyon denied the name change was a public relations stunt and said it was "fantastically exciting" and "good news as far as Wick and the whole area is concerned."
He said he felt the far north economy could benefit from the multi-million redevelopment of John O’Groats, the renewable energy industry and the decommissioning work being carried out at Dounreay.
"It is about joining up the dots, making this area more accessible and a good place to come for a holiday and do business," added Mr Lyon.
