NEWQUAY AIRPORT "ANSWERS" CALL BY MPs

8.00.00pm GMT Fri 28th Nov 2008

Newquay MP Dan Rogerson is asking for answers about what went wrong

Cornwall's MPs are calling for an investigation and accountability over the problems that have led to the temporary closure of Newquay Airport next month.

This week it emerged that the airport will have to close until 19th December to complete changes needed for Civil Aviation Authority approval as a civilian airport. Operation as a purely civilian airfield has required changes before the RAF leave on 1st December. The County's MPs have confirmed that Dan Rogerson, whose constituency includes the airport, was involved in last minute efforts to persuade ministers to retain MOD staff on site to keep air services going until CAA approval is achieved. He was informed last Thursday that last minute problems had affected the timescale for CAA approval, but Ministers told him this week the MOD was unable to provide temporary cover.

Now the MPs say the first priority must be to complete the work to allow services to resume by the 19th. They have also welcomed work by the County Council to help passengers booked on cancelled flights to reach their destinations by alternative means. However, the MPs have demanded that once the present temporary problems are overcome, there will be a detailed investigation into the problems that led to the last minute problem. As late as last week it was expected that the handover from the MOD to civilian use would go ahead smoothly at the beginning of December.

Commenting, Dan Rogerson said: "This has been a very frustrating week for everyone concerned with Newquay airport, and especially for those passengers affected by cancellations. I had hoped to persuade ministers and the RAF to help out by keeping their essential staffing there for a few more weeks, but that has not proved possible despite my best efforts. The good news is that despite the very tight timescale set by the MOD, virtually everything is in place to reopen the airport - something that looked impossible when the RAF withdrawal was first announced. Nevertheless this last minute problem, and the resulting temporary closure, is clearly very unhelpful, and especially bad news for affected passengers. Once sorted out we need clear answers about what went wrong."

Matthew Taylor, Chair of the Cornish MPs' group, added: "The first priority is to get this sorted out and flights operating again - but once that is achieved, we need a proper examination and clear accountability for exactly what went wrong."