Jim Shannon said:
“Three million passengers used domestic flights within the United Kingdom last year. Of all the routes that operate within the UK, the third and fourth most popular routes where those linking London and Belfast. The popularity, and the need, for regular and reliable flight options is clear.
Therefore, it is deeply concerning that we are faced with challenges with the reliability of these vital services. Only yesterday, we had another example of a flight being cancelled between Belfast and London. This flight had people travelling for urgent health care, for business, for holiday connections and for family reasons, and yet despite it being cancelled in the schedule in September by the airline, passengers were still able to book onto what was essentially a ‘phantom’ flight. It simply is not good enough from airlines.
In the House of Commons, I urged the Transport Secretary to engage with the airlines to stress the importance of connectivity within the UK, and also the requirement to provide paying customers with the service expected. We need reliable, frequent service and yet increasingly we see cancellation and withdrawal of flights.”