The officials of Turismo Lanzarote have expressed being "very concerned" following the announcement by Islas Airways to temporarily suspend regular flight operations between the islands. "It represents a loss of supply in terms of capacity, fares and frequencies," they stated through a press release.
"It is a business decision that will certainly affect the pockets and mobility of Lanzarote residents, as it reduces connectivity with the airports of the capital islands on the one hand, and on the other, the supply of schedules and seats to travel to those islands," insisted the Minister of Tourism, Carmen Steinert. Islas Airways had three daily connections from Lanzarote to Tenerife and five to Gran Canaria Airport. Therefore, the closure of the airline means "an even greater distance to the citizens of the non-capital islands", according to Steinert.
Cancellations at Islas Airways were increasing during the past week until reaching 158 during the Pilar bank holiday, almost 41 percent of those scheduled (389). Last Monday, the day of the closure announcement, this ratio rose to 57.5 percent, with Fuerteventura airport being the most affected with the suspension of seven of the eight flights scheduled for the day. In Guacimeta, five out of seven were cancelled.
In addition, Islas Airways transported to and from Lanzarote a total of 9,919 passengers during September 2012, 40.38 more than in September last year, with an occupancy rate of 43.80 percent. With these figures, Turismo Lanzarote points out that the disappearance of this company "is a very hard blow for inter-island tourism".
Carmen Steinert believes that "the lack of speed" in resolving the file initiated by the Ministry of Development against the company is "the main cause" for which the management of Islas Airways has opted for the temporary closure of the activity. "The Ministry should have been more agile with a matter that, in addition to the business and economic damage it generates, has led to the unemployment of hundreds of Canary Island professionals who face a hopeless future," insisted the Minister.
Turismo Lanzarote hopes that this situation "will be redirected as soon as possible, that it will not happen again in an autonomous community that depends, to a large extent, on air connectivity and that the monitoring and coordination committee created for this purpose guarantees attention to passengers affected by the closure of Islas Airways".
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