§ Mr. StottTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what broad criteria his Department requires operators to meet when applying for a licence to operate services out of Belfast international airport; what applications he has received to run(a) transatlantic routes and (b) other routes from Aldergrove; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisThe criteria for the grant of an operating licence are laid down in EC Council Regulation 2407/92. The criteria relate principally to the adequacy of financial resources, fitness and insurance. In addition holders of operating licences must be majority owned and effectively controlled by EC member states or their nationals.
Holders of EC operating licences do not need formal permission to operate scheduled or charter services within the EC provided that traffic rights are available under Council Regulation 2408/92. Carriers planning scheduled services outside those allowed by EC regulations will in most cases need to be formally designated by their authorities under the relevant bilaterial air services agreements.
The Secretary of State for Transport gave exceptional permission outside the terms of the United Kingdom/ United States air services agreement in April 1993 for American Trans Air to operate services between New York and Belfast, to enable Northern Ireland to have direct services to the United States which until then it did not have. The Department currently has a further application from American Trans Air for permission to operate fifth freedom services between Belfast and Riga.
Within Europe, the Civil Aviation Authority is considering two licence applications for services from Belfast international to the Isle of Man and Reykjavik respectively.