AQW 20391/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 15/06/2021
Answered On Date: 02/07/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the actions he is taking to rebuild the domestic and international air route network to Northern Ireland airports.

Answer:

On Thursday 24 June 2021 I announced the launch of the NI Domestic Aviation Kickstart Scheme (NIDAKS) as part of my Department’s Economic Recovery Action Plan (ERAP).

The NIDAKS is a £4.5million initiative to support air connectivity between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and has three elements – maintaining a minimum route frequency on a core network of domestic routes, incentivising enhanced frequency on those routes above the minimum, and encouraging new routes which are economically important to NI.

The NIDAKS aim is to support inbound tourism and business travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and to encourage inward investment into the local economy. These are essential for recovery.

Our domestic and international air connectivity is critical, for both the local tourism sector and the wider economy, especially as we focus on recovery. The launch of the NIDAKS delivers on our commitment to support NI’s domestic air connectivity with GB.

My Department is very supportive and always willing to discuss any opportunities which will enhance Northern Ireland’s connectivity, both domestically and internationally. We are especially interested in proposals that will address the lack of scheduled transatlantic routes.

Clearly, all such proposals will need to deliver Value for Money; be within the policy remit and legal vires of the Department; and be compliant with the UK’s policy on subsidy control and commitments in international trade agreements.