Calls for direct flights between Scotland and emerging economies

Opposition parties have called for the Scottish Government to act to help create direct flights between Scotland and countries with emerging economies.
The Conservatives have called for a successor to the Air Route Development Fund, which subsidised airlines to provide direct routes but was scrapped in 2007.
Meanwhile, Labour said there should be a strategic review of air links to Scotland and the establishment of a marketing fund to help support direct routes to countries such as China, Brazil, India and Russia during the first two years of operation.
The Scottish Government has already set out its ambitions to improve international air connections with key global economies such as China.
The Government said a senior Chinese aviation delegation will travel to Scotland early in the New Year to take forward plans.
It said the European Commission (EC) was currently reviewing guidelines on start-up aid for airlines which had prevented a successor to the Air Route Development Fund from being established.
Conservative finance spokesman Gavin Brown said: "The SNP claim they cannot operate the air route fund because it falls foul of EU (European Union) rules.
29/12/11 STV

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Categories: Foreign Dec 2011