Cardiff Airport’s recovery plan must be made public Cardiff Airport 20 Arrivals 21 departures in 5 days Bristol Airport 61 departures 61 arrivals today
Labour ministers must make their recovery plan for Cardiff Airport public if they are serious about turning its fortunes around, the Welsh Conservative have said.
The plea comes after it was revealed passenger numbers dropped to the lowest levels since the 1950s from 1.6 million to just 48,000.
A Rescue and Recovery Plan has been designed and put in place for the airport, but in-depth details have been kept under-wraps.
The fall in passengers is just one in a long list of blows for the airport, which was bought by the Labour Government for £52m in 2013.
Aer Lingus' operators Stobart Air went into liquidation and Wizz Air announced it won’t be flying out of the airport until next summer at the earliest.
Cardiff Airport was valued at just £15m recently and Labour ministers gave the airport a £42.6m grant, while also writing off a debt of similar value.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar MS, said:
“Cardiff Airport has been underperforming since it was taken into public ownership in 2013 and now as we are slowly coming out of the pandemic, it is about time the public know where their funds are going.
“We are told that there is a plan to turn Cardiff Airport’s fortunes around, but as is often the case, the devil is in the detail and we need this plan to be made public. Especially as it is owned by the taxpaying public.
“It is all well and good the airport’s CEO saying there will be a ‘pretty large flying programme’ looming, but we need to see the details – especially if the airport is enticing operators with incentives involving taxpayers’ cash again.
“The airport is being propped up with taxpayer cash so it is only right that the public know how their money is going to be spent trying to turn Cardiff Airport into a thriving facility.
“It is vital the minister outlines the Labour Government’s plans in the Senedd – as soon as possible.”
https://www.cardiff-airport.com/live-flight-information/departures/
https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/arrivals-and-departures/departures
Cardiff Airport 20 Arrivals 21 departures in 5 days Bristol Airport 61 departures 63 arrivals today
