Regional airports, low-cost airlines and interregional connectivity
Since 2001, when it published a report on regional aviation, the Assembly of European Regions has committed itself to defend and promote the role of regional airports as a tool for regional economic development and citizen mobility.
The exponential development of low-cost carriers in Europe, often choosing small regional airports, has allowed for the creation of a new network of interregional air connections. The decision by the European Commission to challenge the state subsidies received by Ryanair in Charleroi Airport raised deep concerns throughout European regions. On this occasion, the AER expressed the fear that, by insisting on strict application of competition rules, the European Commission may seriously infringe the ability of the Regions to organise their transport services and therefore define coherent territorial development strategies.
The AER working group on Regional Airports was relaunched in March 2010 in Alba (RO) on the occasion of the AER Committee 1 plenary meeting.
The group is now chaired by Per Inge Bjerknes from Ostofld (NO) and has recently met in Brussels on 11 June to validate its new mandate. The regions showed active interest for the issue of the economic impact of airports in their regions as a source of growth and jobs and will also monitor the revision of the EC guidelines on state aid for regional airports.
Working group meeting, 31 August 2010, Brussels
Working group meeting, 11 June 2010, Brussels
Agenda-regional-airports Brussels-11-06-2010
Minutes-regional-airports Brussels-11-06-2010
WG-airports 11June listofsignatures
Draft-new-mandate-WG-airports
ACI Presentation AER June 2010
AER-presentation 20110610b
- ARC conference on quality of life in airport regions, Amsterdam, 3-4 December 2009
The Airport Regions Conference (ARC) and the Province of Noord-Holland cordially invite you to join the conference and exhibition entitled "Quality of life in airport regions". The venue for our international conference is the world famous five-star Krasnapolsky Hotel located in the very heart of Amsterdam overlooking Dam Square.
ARC is an association of cities and regions across Europe with an international airport situated in or close to its boundaries. Today there are more than 30 cities and regions in ARC. They include “the big five” international hub airports of Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, Madrid and Amsterdam, along with other major international and regional airports in 19 European countries, representing about 100 million citizens. ARC brings together a wide range of expertise at the interface of air transport as well as local and regional policies. A common concern is balancing the economic benefits generated by airports against their environmental impact, notably the effect on the quality of life of local residents. ARC works together with all stakeholders in the aviation industry and also co-operates with the European Commission and the EC Directorates for Transport, Environment and Regional Policy.
For further information, please see the agenda below:
8 September 2009 - AER Conference: "EU guidelines for state aid for regional airports"
The aim of the conference was to understand the recent developments for the revision of the guidelines for state aid for regional airports and the implications that they may have for the economic development of the regions with regional airports. Experts of regions, regional airports and low fare airlines shared their thoughts and concerns and listened to the input of experts from the European commission as well as other stakeholders.
For further information on this event, please click here!
24-25 June 2008 - AER Conference: "Key elements of the development of regional airports"
AER is organising a conference on "Key elements of the development of regional airports", to be held on 24 and 25 June in Lelystad (Flevoland, NL). This event is being organised in the context of the new AER working group on regional airports, chaired by Harry Dijksma, Regional minister of the Province of Flevoland, which will launch its activities on this occasion.
For further information on this event and on the working group, please click here!
"Regional Airports need the support of the European Union and no
overregulation'
11 and 12 September 2007 Poznan, Wielkopolska (PL)
Regional airports in Europe have had a rapid growth in the last decade. The introduction of low fare airlines has been the most important reason for that growth. The growing numbers of passengers flying from and to regional airports is not only a benefit for the airports and the airlines but certainly for the economic development of the regions. The AER has after the already mentioned conference at Eindhoven Airport in December 2006 decided that the theme of regional airports deserves more attention in the coming years. That is why we have decided to organise the conference: “Regional airports need the support of the European Union and no overregulation” on 11 and 12 September 2007 in Poznan, region of Wielkopolska, (Poland). For more information about the outcomes of the conference and presentations given, click here.
'LOW NOISE LOW FARE HIGH IMPACT'
Success factors for the development of regional airports, 13 and 14 December 2006- Eindhoven Airport (NL)
For a regional airport to be successful, there is a need to understand the specific business model of the low fare airlines. Globalization underlines the need for more and better infrastructure and this infrastructure is not only needed on a regional level, but also at the national and international level. The situation is changing rapidly as a result of the low fare airlines: they operate differently from the traditional carriers. Now the regional airports have to deal with the requirements of the low fare airlines. In co-operation with regional government, the regional airports have to solve the problems posed by low fare airlines to support growth in regional economic development. For this reason, the regional airports and representatives of low fare airlines will play prominent roles in this conference.
For more information about the outcomes of the conference and presentations given, click here.
- Revised Community guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines departing from regional airports (September 2005) This new document was published on September 6th 2005.
- Draft Community guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines departing from regional airports This document was first published in February 2005 and a consultation was opened to all relevant stakeholders. Please find below the initial AER reaction to this first proposal.
AER reaction to EC guidelines
- Creation of the Federation of European Regional Airports In February, was created in Stansted the Federation of European Regional Airports. The AER attended this meeting: a report of this meeting is available upon request to the AER Committee C secretariat. This initiative is strongly supported by the AER, which has expressed its will to cooperate with FARE. The first step of this cooperation was a common answer to the EC consultation on the above-mentioned draft guidelines and a common meeting with Mr Le Bret, Mr Commissioner Barrot's head of cabinet. Please, find below a short report on the meeting between the AER, FARE and Mr Barrot's cabinet and FARE's analysis of the EC draft guidelines.
FARE analysis of draft EC guidelines
Report on the meeting between the AER, FARE and Mr Barrot's cabinet
- The EC 3rd package for liberalisation of air transport and air slot allocation Andrew Clarke, from the European Regions Airline Association, came to the AER plenary meeting in Eger (14 October 2004) to present this package and its impact on the Regions. The European Commission launched a consultation process on this package, in particular the issue of air slot allocations, to which the AER responded.
Presentation of the 3rd package, by Andrew Clarke, ERAA
Contribution of the AER to the consultation on air slot allocation
- 20 April 2004, Barcelona : AER hearing on regional aviation "The possible impact of European guidelines on cooperation between regional airports and low-fare airlines. Is regional development at stake?"
Conclusions of the hearing
- EU ruling on the Ryanair/Charleroi Airport case The AER reacted strongly to the European Commission's ruling on the Ryanair/Charleroi airport case, where it was the EU executive insists on the need to apply strict competition rules to regional airports. Without any consultation with regional actors and their representatives, this decision denies any status of general interest to the air transport sector. This approach may infringe the ability of the Regions to organise their own territorial development strategies.
- Other AER papers
- Other studies and position papers
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