FLYBE – Is it fleece me? (Midlothian Liberal Democrats)

Midlothian Liberal Democrats <laird.ross@btinternet.com>

FLYBE – Is it fleece me?

May 23, 2009 3:09 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Flybe would be better named Fleece Me, says Shetland MSP, Tavish Scott. He has received numerous complaints about fares, Flybe extra charges and cuts in flights. Tavish Scott is welcoming the move by Shetland's transport partnership, ZetTrans, to explore new ways to improve the Island's external air services. He has encouraged ZetTrans to look at all the different options for the future.Tavish Scott MSP: Shetland

Tavish Scott said, "ZetTrans, working with HITRANS, is to look in depth at the current provision of air services in the Highlands & Islands. They will explore the service and, most importantly, the fares. This is good. The steady growth of complaints I have received about the cost of flying, since the franchise moved from BA to Flybe, shows that there is a real problem needing to be addressed.

"I reduced air fares for Islanders through the Air Discount Scheme. The SNP sensibly continued that policy when they were elected. I supported that. It was the right thing to do. But the benefits of that Air Discount Scheme are being cancelled out by the Flybe fare levels. Indeed, I struggle to see any benefits that Flybe have brought to Shetland. They claim to be a low cost carrier. But Shetlanders who have contacted me in large numbers over the past 6 months say finding a low fare is rare. Flybe's website is poor - some constituents think it is deliberately misleading. Flybe's business approach is to charge for any additional "service" they can on top of high fares. Now we see service cuts, with less and less notice. Flybe, for too many Shetlanders, has become a high fare, low service airline. So maybe it's not Flybe - could it be Fleece Me?

"It's time to look at the alternatives. Shetland has no competition so, as we know from bitter experience, Flybe can charge what they like. So we need to look at the alternatives. Can we attract other airlines to offer competition on the routes to Shetland, as the Air Discount Scheme applies to any airline offering services on the routes? Or do we need to move from the Air Discount Scheme to Public Service Obligations? Or are there other ways to reduce transport costs while retaining lifeline services? Tourism, business and personal travel for Shetlanders and visitors is affected by the cost of flying. I am concerned that we are going backwards not forwards. It's time to look again at how we can improve the service."