Aberdeen airport: BAA's claims ring hollow

On 3rd March we shut Aberdeen airport for 6 hours, cancelling 19 flights and disrupting a further 20. BAA claim that the disruption cost around £1 million, but strangely claim that it wasn't the airport operator who paid the cost, but the cash-strapped North East of Scotland.

This is clearly ludicrous. Aviation gets off very, very lightly: avoiding fuel tax, escaping without paying VAT on tickets and throwing some token APD about every now and then as tif to compensate. This all adds up: £9 billion annually across the UK. This revenue comes straight from other sectors in the economy and is incredibly regressive. We don't all fly equally; by giving the airlines an easy ride we are transferring cash from those who fly least to those who fly most, from the poorest to the richest.

In a year when schools and hospitals are struggling to keep afloat it makes no sense to let wealthy fliers off so easily. Britain has the most expensive walk-on train fares in Europe and inadequate north-south rail links; meanwhile the Government has reduced rail subsidies and wants to expand all the airports. If BAA really gave a toss about the North East it could always volunteer to be taxed like everyone else. Thought not.