Flybe

Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:36 pm on 15 January 2020.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 3:36, 15 January 2020

Can I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for his questions? He's absolutely right that we need to be shaping the future of air passenger duty in the UK. And, as part of the review that will be carried out by the UK Government, we would expect them not just to consider how APD is applied but by whom. And what is good for Scotland should surely be good enough for Wales and we should have responsibilities for APD devolved.

I've already written to the UK Government regarding yesterday's announcement, stressing the importance that the Welsh Government is part of the review on regional connectivity and the future of APD. I think the decision of the UK Government demonstrates how APD can be used as an enabler to incentivise passengers not to have to travel great distances in order to board their planes and instead use more local and regional airports. And so we'll be, I would expect, right at the heart of discussions and deliberations over the future of APD. 

And with regard specifically to the Cardiff to Anglesey public service obligation, I'm pleased to say that the PSO would have been unaffected if Flybe had collapsed, because it's Eastern Airways that is contracted to support the route. However, Members will be aware that current bookings for that particular service are made via the Flybe bookings service. So, even though it's Eastern Airways that has a backup bookings system, that would, in all probability, have been switched on without delay had Flybe indeed collapsed.