Cornish MPs want airport inquiry

The airport will be without a licence until 19 December

Cornwall's MPs, who are all Liberal Democrats, are calling for an investigation into the temporary closure of Newquay Airport.

The county council, which owns the airport, had been due to take over operations from the RAF on 1 December.

But as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) did not grant it a licence in time it has had to cancel all flights in and out until 19 December.

MP Dan Rogerson said: "We need clear answers about what went wrong."

This has been a very frustrating week for everyone concerned with Newquay Airport Dan Rogerson MP

It is believed about 209 departures and 7,000 passengers could be affected by the temporary closure.

The North Cornwall MP, whose constituency includes Newquay, said he had been involved in last minute attempts to persuade the RAF to keep providing air traffic cover past 1 December.

He was told by the MOD that staff were unable to do so.

He said: "This has been a very frustrating week for everyone concerned with Newquay Airport, and especially for those passengers affected by cancellations.

'Image damaged'

"Once sorted out we need clear answers about what went wrong."

He said the priority was for the council to complete the work needed to be done to get a CAA licence by 19 December.

Yesterday Mark Prisk MP, the Conervative shadow minister for Cornwall, said the county council had "seriously damaged" the county's image over Newquay Airport.

The handover of air traffic responsibilities is linked to the closure of RAF St Mawgan, the military airbase adjacent to the airport.