It’s business as usual for Citywing passengers flying to Blackpool, despite an announcement the airport is up for sale.
Balfour Beatty, which bought the airport in 2008 for £14 million, has decided to sell its operating interests in the site as part of a wider decision to sell all its interests in regional airports.
But it will continue to own the land on which the terminal stands.
Citywing’s managing director, David Buck, said he was committed to the route.
And in fact, the frequency of flights could be increased on peak days from two to three a day.
Mr Buck said: ‘From my understanding the announcement won’t make any difference to us whatsoever.
‘And from our passengers’ perspective it’s business as usual. It wouldn’t make any difference to us if the airport does get taken over.’
Citywing runs twice daily flights between the island and Blackpool.
He said the route was performing so well that increasing the frequency to three flights a day on peak days – typically Fridays – was being considered for next year.
Following an increase in popularity for seats from Blackpool to get to the island for the TT Festival, Citywing is also looking at offering additional flights then too.
All passengers aged 16 years and over departing from Blackpool are required to pay a £10 airport development fee towards ‘infrastructure development and investment’.
Since its introduction in 2009, the airport says money has been invested on taxi-way and runways, car parks extensions, improvements to security and a new fire and operations centre.
The departure lounge has also been fitted with new carpets and toilets.
When asked if he would be in favour of a new owner scrapping the fee, Mr Buck said: ‘If it was scrapped it would give us something additional to assist in selling the seats.’
Balfour Beatty has invested almost £30m in the site since it took it over.
But passenger numbers have dropped over the years from a peak of around 500,000 in 2007, and the terminal has continued to make an annual loss, currently running at about £1.5m a year.