THE Transport Select Committee have today published their report on smaller airports. This recognises the damaging impact of Air Passenger Duty as well as calling on the Department for Transport to look into the ring fencing of slots at any expanded hub airport in the South East, for links to smaller regional airports such as Liverpool.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport shares the same concerns as the Committee, making these points in its written evidence submitted last year to the Transport Committee and is pleased that they have listened to its concerns and those expressed by other regional airports.

The report recognises that Airports such as Liverpool drive economic growth and are vital to people and businesses in the regions, but they are limited by the damaging effect of Air Passenger Duty.

The report also examines how smaller airports might benefit from airport expansion in the south-east, acknowledging that the whole country should share the economic benefits of expanded airport capacity, by exploring how the Government can support regional connectivity. It calls on the Department for Transport to assess whether some new slots could be ring-fenced to support regional connectivity.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport has already set out its support for an expanded Heathrow Airport on the basis that slots are then protected to enable connecting flights from Liverpool via this expanded global hub.

Responding to the publication of this new report, Andrew Cornish CEO of Liverpool John Lennon Airport commented:- "I am pleased to see that The Transport Select Committee clearly understand some of the issues we face today and have taken on board the concerns we have over the continued damaging impact of APD and the lack of global connectivity via any expanded south east hub airport. I would urge that this and any future Government post the election, acknowledge the findings from this report and take action to address these important issues in order to help safeguard the vital role of regional airports such as Liverpool John Lennon."