Major savings needed at Ronaldsway

Staff at Ronaldsway are being asked to look at all options as management look to make £1.8 million worth of savings over three years.

Airport workers, including fire crew and baggage handlers, are well advanced in negotiations.

The news comes as Infrastructure Minister David Cretney confirmed he will defer a decision on whether to introduce a £1 charge for short-term parking at Ronaldsway until July 14.

A charge of £1 for up to an hour's parking at the airport had been due to begin from today (Monday) but Mr Cretney says no charges for short-stay parking will be imposed for at least a fortnight to allow consultation.

Even if it’s just a stay of execution, the parking charge is only expected to raise £40,000 per year for the airport coffers - a figure far removed from the near £2 million the department is under orders to to save over the next three years.

Mr Cretney – who has already met passenger watchdog TravelWatch and received correspondence from members of the public over the issue – has praised the co-operation and understanding of airport staff towards savings and says positive discussions have been going on for a few months.

He says falling passenger numbers and few chances to grow the retail options at Ronaldsway means the airport has to grow its income.

But he insists no parking charge will be introduced for disabled visitors and passengers, nor in front of the Terminal building where passengers can be picked-up and dropped-off.