UK Government - Bailing out an airline

[The Don]

The UK government is proposing to use government money to bail out a failing regional airline Flybe.

They're also proposing to review air duty - which if they get rid of it would be a clear reversal of ecological policy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51117885

Flybe's competitors aren't happy, the greens aren't happy and I thought it was the dangerous socialists in the Labour Party who were going to waste government money propping (no pun intended) up failing businesses, not the Conservatives

IMO if the airline is commercially viable then it should stand on its own two feet. If there is a public service case to be made then the government should share in the benefits, not just the cost and in any case I'd want to see government money supporting more ecological transport methods.

 

[catsmate]

The UK government is proposing to use government money to bail out a failing regional airline Flybe.

They're also proposing to review air duty - which if they get rid of it would be a clear reversal of ecological policy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51117885

Flybe's competitors aren't happy, the greens aren't happy and I thought it was the dangerous socialists in the Labour Party who were going to waste government money propping (no pun intended) up failing businesses, not the Conservatives

IMO if the airline is commercially viable then it should stand on its own two feet. If there is a public service case to be made then the government should share in the benefits, not just the cost and in any case I'd want to see government money supporting more ecological transport methods.

Ah, Conservative hypocrisy when it inconvenience them, how surprising.

 

[Darat]

I take it quite a lot of Tory MPs use these flights?

 

[3point14]

Someone remind me how capitalism works again?

 

[Dave Rogers]

Someone remind me how capitalism works again?

It works however rich people want it to work, I think.

Dave

 

[3point14]

It works however rich people want it to work, I think.

Dave

That increasingly seems to be the case.

What happened to 'the value of your investment may go down as well as up.?

 

[Darat]

That increasingly seems to be the case.



What happened to 'the value of your investment may go down as well as up.?

That's for the plebs! Can't have them accruing capital!

 

[ceptimus]

I take it quite a lot of Tory MPs use these flights?

I suspect MPs in general. I don't know how much the Scottish and Irish MPs use FlyBE to travel between their constituencies and Westminster. I would expect such travel would benefit them more than the mostly English Tories.

I've not done any research into this. I hope some journalists are beavering away finding out, and that it will soon come to widespread public attention that MPs and parliament are more interested in propping up companies that support their own travel.

MPs will doubtless be the ones who benefit most from HS2, if it's ever built - they will be able to travel in speedy luxury and the high ticket prices will be put on their expenses and paid by us taxpayers who've already paid for the construction. I suspect HS2 would have been scrapped years ago if it weren't for MPs distorted views of what's important to the economy of the country. We can only hope that the ludicrous increasing costs and delays mean that even corrupt MPs will be forced to reluctantly scrap the scheme.

 

[The Don]

Ryanair and BA are talking about suing the government. There's a lawsuit I'd like all parties to lose.

 

[Darat]

Ryanair and BA are talking about suing the government. There's a lawsuit I'd like all parties to lose.

Quite amusingly under EU legislation!

 

[P.J. Denyer]

I take it quite a lot of Tory MPs use these flights?

I think ownership would be more interesting. I believe Virgin has quite a big stake. Those non cash donations to the Tory Party (mostly flights and upgrades) were great value it seems.