New Aviation Policy Must Support Enterprise
Key Role to Play in Supporting Job Creation
Chambers Ireland and its Air Transport Users Council have today (19/07/13) said that Ireland’s aviation policy must focus on maintaining competition and increasing connectivity to support economic growth and job creation. The call was made in a submission to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s consultation on ‘An Integrated Irish Aviation Policy’.
Speaking this morning Seán Murphy, Chambers Ireland Deputy Chief Executive said, “The contribution of Ireland’s aviation sector in terms of tourism, supporting economic growth and job creation is vital. The potential to increase this contribution is significant. Ireland’s airports play a key role in our connectivity to international markets; markets which can be nurtured and developed to achieve further economic progress.”
“Broadening the range of international destinations, including direct flights to new and accessible markets in Asia, would be of huge benefit to Ireland. Given that Beijing is the same distance from Ireland as Los Angeles it is possible to create more routes to this and other important destinations throughout Asia. Similarly, securing a wider range of airlines flying into and out of Ireland will not only create a greater number of options for Irish business but also support increased competition.”
“Preserving Ireland’s Heathrow slots is a vital issue to guarantee access to routes serving locations not linked to Ireland directly. This is especially significant given the major consolidation of airline companies in Europe into a relatively small number of companies each dominating major airport hubs such as Frankfurt, Schiphol and Paris. This consolidation will constrain connection options to these major hubs in the future.”
“Similarly, there is a strong case for the further development of dedicated cargo terminals at all of Ireland’s State airports. Ireland can grow its potential in the air cargo market by making a number of relatively basic improvements. Improved facilities, to include FDA approved ‘cold chain’ containers and storage, would support Ireland’s position as a favoured destination for Pharma investments. In addition, the expansion of US preclearance to include cargo would enhance the competitiveness of Ireland vis-á-vis other locations in Europe seeking to service the North American market.”
“By tackling these issues, and others outlined in the submission, an integrated aviation policy has the potential to support job creation, enhance foreign direct investment and strengthen the domestic economy through increased tourism traffic,” he concluded.
The full submission is available to download here.
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For further information contact Amy Woods, Chambers Ireland on 01 400 4319, 086 6081605 or email amy.woods@www.chambers.ie.