Islands ideal for electric planes, says consultation on future of air services
Electric planes, air taxis, changing the Air Discount Scheme and a single body operating all council-run airports - just a few ideas in a new Holyrood consultation on the future of aviation in the Highlands and Islands.
The Scottish Government is considering how Scotland can continue to enjoy the economic and social benefits of air travel while meeting its ambitious net-zero targets.
Its goals include ‘decarbonising scheduled passenger flights within Scotland by 2040’ and getting ‘good value’ air services in the Highlands and Islands for passengers and the taxpayer. Transport Scotland’s online consultation seeks views on achieving those goals, by Friday January 21 2022.
One way, it proposes, is adopting electric aircraft for the Highlands and Islands. ‘Norway is aiming for the first regular domestic scheduled flights to be operated with electrified aircraft by 2030,’ the consultation says.
‘The short distances and low passenger volumes on many scheduled flights within Scotland mean they are ideally suited to early adoption of zero and low emission aircraft.
‘However, as most are operated on a commercial basis, the airlines rather than the Scottish Government decide what aircraft they will use on their routes.
‘One option is for the Scottish Government to buy new zero emission aircraft as they become available on the market, then lease them to the airline(s) operating the routes.’
Another way, it poses, is consolidating airport operators, including Argyll and Bute Council, into a single body.
‘Airport services for scheduled passenger air services in the Highlands and Islands are currently provided by Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), Shetland Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council and Argyll and Bute Council.
‘None of the airports operated by these bodies can currently run on a commercial basis and all require subsidy to maintain operations. Having four different airport operators means it is more difficult to achieve economies of scale, for example, through bulk buying of equipment.’
The Scottish Government is also considering the effectiveness of, and improvements to, the Air Discount Scheme.
‘Air services have high fixed costs but whether this results in high airfares depends on the number of passengers on the aircraft,’ it explains.
‘With more passengers each person pays less as the costs are split between them. However, with fewer passengers the cost per person is higher.
‘In the Highlands and Islands even the busier routes have relatively low passenger numbers over which to spread costs.
‘This leads to fares that are higher than what passengers would likely pay on longer, busier routes. The Scottish Government has sought to address the cost of flying in the region through the operation of the Air Discount Scheme.’
The consultation also seeks views on complementing scheduled flights with on-demand air taxis and open charter services.
Councillor Robin Currie, leader of Argyll and Bute Council, urged people to have their say: ‘It’s absolutely vital our rural and island communities continue to have access to properly funded, reliable and regular air services to connect them to essential support and services.’
Find the survey online at the Scottish Government Consultation Hub.