This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Another Euro route for Prestwick
03/07/2003
A new European route set to serve Scotland from Glasgow
Prestwick Airport will receive funding from the Executive's
Interim Route Development Fund.
Enterprise Minister Jim Wallace confirmed at a business
breakfast in Troon that a new direct service from Prestwick
to Berlin operated by one of Germany's largest low-cost
airlines, Germania, is to get funding.
The Executive's £6.8 million Interim Route Development
Fund was set up last November to help secure the new direct
air services to Scotland and today's announcement brings
the total number of new European routes set to benefit to
nine.
Mr Wallace said:
"This is good news for Glasgow, Ayrshire and the West of
Scotland as a whole. Not only will this new route bring
more tourists to Scotland, but it will also help to
strengthen business opportunities.
"Additional air destinations will help stimulate
business and conference traffic and improve our connections
to key markets as well as research and development
partners. It will also mean a boost to our tourism market
through the knock-on effects to many hotels, restaurants
and local attractions.
"The new air route announced today is further evidence
of Glasgow Prestwick's growing success and we are delighted
to be announcing support for a further route from the
airport.
"The new route demonstrates the Executive's commitment
to supporting the expansion of air routes to and from all
our airports through the Interim Route Development
Fund."
Mary McLaughlin, head of transport at Scottish
Enterprise, which manages the fund on behalf of the
Executive, said:
"While we expected Scotland to be an attractive choice
for airlines considering where to locate new routes, we
have been pleasantly surprised at the level of interest
shown and are delighted that interest has been converted
into new routes in such a short time.
"Discussions with airlines, airports and operators are
continuing and we are hopeful of being able to make further
announcements in due course."
The Fund was set up to attract more European air routes
to Scotland by helping airports to discount landing charges
to airlines opening up new routes and was in direct
response to requests from business groups, the aviation
industry and local authorities.
Transport Minister Nicol Stephen announced four new
routes from Edinburgh airport to Milan, Geneva, Oslo and
Zurich earlier this week.
The Interim Route Development Fund is provided through
the resources in the Scottish budget announced last Autumn
with £5 million from the latest Scottish Budget, £500,000
from the Integrated Transport Fund, £1 million from
Scottish Enterprise and £300,000 from Highlands and Islands
Enterprise.
The Interim Route Development Fund focuses on European
destinations serving in-bound tourism and business
markets.
The first four European routes to benefit from the Fund
were announced in March 2003. The new routes were Edinburgh
to Jersey operated by bmi British Midland, Edinburgh to
Cologne operated by Germanwings, Glasgow Prestwick to
Skavsta (Stockholm) operated by Ryanair and Glasgow
Prestwick to Girona (Barcelona) operated by Ryanair.