Ulster Unionist Economy spokesperson Mike Nesbitt MLA has welcomed the news that the Department for the Economy is delivering practical financial support to protect essential air connectivity between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Mike Nesbitt said:
"The NI Domestic Aviation Kickstart Scheme (NIDAKS) has been some time in the making and I note the welcome from our three local airports. The funds should enable our airports to continue to offer flight paths that are essential not only to our tourism sector but to the business community more generally. Outside of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Northern Ireland is more dependent on air transport than any other region of the United Kingdom.
"Business needs to know not only that appropriate air connectivity is there, but that there is also certainty about the continuity of those connections. This is an important piece of the jigsaw, but it is only one part of the bigger picture. I encourage the Department to now focus on Air Passenger Duty (APD) and the boost in demand that reform could bring.”