PSO is the only way to protect
Benbecula’s air service
What is even more perplexing about Scott’s u-turn on PSOs is that the cost of implementing PSOs across the entire Highlands and Islands region was almost exactly the same as the cost of implementing ADS.
This newspaper has been opposed to ADS ever since the system was mooted.
But, one may ask, what’s the difference if ADS offers a discount that’s similar to what the customer would have received under PSO? There are two crucial answers to that question. Firstly, ADS is only available to a selection of users – PSO will be available to everyone. Secondly, the route remains in the hands of the commercial operator, whereas under PSO the route would come under state control.
The flaws highlighted by the first point are self-evident. If only a limited number of users receive a discount – in the case of ADS it is islanders and students studying away from their island home – it is clear that the system fails to attract inward investment. Indeed it only rewards those who wish to travel off the island to spend their money.
This point is accepted by Loganair’s Commercial Director, Jonathan Hinkles, who acknowledged the flaw: ‘We agree that ADS offers a discount to islanders and offers no such incentive to inbound travellers,’ he told Am Pàipear. ‘This is one of the reasons why we have suggested, as part of the HiTrans review of air services, for ADS to be extended to cover all passengers on a route.
‘In our view,’ he said, ‘this places air services on an equal footing with ferry services, where the Road Equivalent Tariff offers a discount to all customers regardless of whether they are island residents or inward visitors.’
