'Financial commitment' needed to secure air routes

The policy aims to protect keys routes to London and the North West of England

A new plan to secure key air routes will need "a financial commitment" from public funds in future, the enterprise minister has said.

The Strategic Air Services Policy proposed the open skies policy be maintained, while enabling the government to "intervene to meet social and economic needs".

The plan, which aims to sustain routes to Manchester, Liverpool, London and Dublin as well as grow passenger numbers, was unanimously backed by Manx politicians.

Tim Johnston said although the "exact scale" of investment was not yet known, he could "say with certainty" funding would be needed to support the plans.

The open skies policy is the island's free market approach, which means that any UK-registered carrier can fly to the island without restrictions on routes or number of flights.

The document stated that globally air travel was "broadly returning to pre-pandemic levels" but the same recovery had not been seen on Isle of Man services.

Passenger numbers for 2024 were forecast to be about 650,000, which was down on the pre-pandemic peak of 855,000 in 2019.

Under the framework, some routes would be designated as Public Service Obligation, which means the government could subsidise airlines to provide a certain level of service on them.

It also aims to expand regional connectivity to boost travel options and support the visitor economy, and use "commercial levers, such as incentives and partnerships, to attract and retain airline services".

'Necessity'

During the January sitting of Tynwald Juan Watterson SHK raised concerns that there was no "dedicated budget allocation to support" the strategy in the plans.

Johnston said while "no fixed costs have been asked for at this stage", and until negotiations with airlines were finalised the "exact scale of that investment" was not known.

However, he said he could "say with certainty that securing these routes will require a financial commitment from government".

He confirmed about £4m was currently being spent each year to ensure "some level of stabilisation and choice" across London and the North West of England.

Connectivity was "not a luxury" it was "a necessity", and the "longer-term approach" of the plan would lay "foundations of security of routes" for patients travelling for treatment, business passengers, tourists and residents, he added.