Flynn says cuts are decisions for Loganair
The Scottish Government’s Transport Minister, Stephen Flynn, has come under cross-party fire after washing his hands of responsibility for withdrawal of morning flights between Inverness and three island destinations, including Stornoway.
Loganair implemented the cuts on Monday. They are expected to cost the Western Isles NHS Board more than £1 million as well as affecting more than a quarter of its activities. Many other negative implications for businesses and individuals are emerging.
Loganair have been seeking £1.3 million from the Scottish Government since February in order to maintain the services.
However, Mr Flynn has told a cross-party group of MSPs that “these are commercial services and the Scottish Government has no direct power to intervene in their provision.”
This has been greeted with dismay by MSPs and others affected by the cuts. They point out that, as well as the social implications, Mr Flynn’s hard-line response ignores the fact that these cuts will cost far more than £1.3 million in public money, particularly due to impact on NHS services.
Western Isles MSP, Donald Mackinnon said “The removal of the morning Inverness flights has far reaching consequences for health services and island businesses.
"It was a decision made by Loganair with little thought for the impact on island communities and no engagement with those affected.
“Loganair are a private company but they have chosen to base their business around the delivery of lifeline air services. That comes with a level of responsibility which is sorely lacking in this decision.
“The response from the Scottish Government has been equally disappointing.
"A strategic approach to regional air travel is desperately needed to ensure that lifeline services continue to be delivered and Scottish Government should be leading on this.
"It is not good enough for the Cabinet Secretary to shrug this off as simply the responsibility of a commercial operator”.
Mr Flynn also faces “friendly fire” from Shetland where the recently-elected SNP MSP, Hannah Mary Goodlad, has been under pressure to respond to the cuts. She has teamed up with Green “list” MSP for the Highlands and Islands, Kristopher Leask, to issue a joint statement calling for a coherent approach to island air travel.
Ms Goodlad said: “However you look at it, enormous amounts of public money are going into the current system – the air discount scheme, the impact on the NHS, subsidies for HIAL, and the wider economic impact across our islands.”
She left the direct criticism of Mr Flynn to her Green colleague.
Mr Leask said he was “disappointed” by the Minister’s insistence that this was purely a commercial matter for Loganair and said “the islanders we represent in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles must have a seat at the table”.
Loganair have warned that there could be further cuts to the Inverness services, including the possibility of complete withdrawal, unless their demands are met.
They had been negotiating with the Scottish Government quango, Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, since February in the belief that HIAL would make Ministers aware of the dispute.