Gordon has said the Government should do more to support smaller airports like Blackpool's - calling on them to look "very practically" at ways in which they can bring down the costs of operations for smaller airports.



He said they (the Government) should look at subsidies to help airports like Blackpool, saying that it would benefit both the owners and the airport’s future economic prospects.

Gordon, who visited Blackpool Airport back in April, said: “There remains I believe good prospects with a committed owner for the future of the airport, both for passenger flights and also expanded commercial activity via the new Enterprise Zone.

“In my previous role last year as Shadow Aviation Minister, I urged the previous Government to look very practically at ways in which the cost obligation on smaller airports like Blackpool could be reduced with Government intervention.

“It is unreasonable that smaller airports like Blackpool should have to equal their costs on security and other requirements, as airports elsewhere such as Liverpool and Manchester with at least six or seven times as many passengers a year. The millions of pounds currently being spent by Government as a subsidy for new one-off flight routes, if some of that were spent on subsidising operator costs for an airport like Blackpool, that would benefit the owners and the airport’s economic prospects.

“So I repeat my call for the new Government to do something about our operational costs. Local Conservatives would do better to lobby their ministers on such a project, rather than going over a futile past debate on who was right or wrong in the spat between Balfour Beatty and Jet2.com .”