newstodate.aero
Nov 27, 2009 (newstodate): Lithuania has given up earlier plans for setting up a new national carrier to fill the void left by the demise of flyLAL by the start of 2009.
-We will not pursue this project. It will simply be too costly, says Rimvydas Vastakas, Vice-Minister of Transport and communications.
-The requirements by EU would be very demanding, strict regulations would apply, and state support for a venture like that would probably also not be legal, nor possible. That is one side of the issue. Another is the fact that in only one year 14 European airlines have gone bankrupt, indicating very insecure prospects for setting up a new airline.
-The decision to scrap plans for the establishing of a new national carrier leaves us with two alternatives: one is to pursue the idea of a pan-Baltic carrier to serve the markets and needs of all three Baltic states, as aired by the meeting of the Baltic transport minister this summer.
-Another option is to work out a list of routes from Lithuania to international destinations of prime importance for Lithuania.
-I would like to see a list like this to serve as the basis for a tender to be opened, hopefully, by the start of 2010 already.
-Airlines could then enter the tender and bid on either all or a parcel of the routes included, and we could then select a winner, or winners, on the basis of an evaluation of how to obtain the best and most economic solution to meet this country's needs for air transportation.
-We will probably need the cooperation of a competent consultant to assist the Lithuanian state in sorting out the details and prepare the eventual opening of the tender, says Mr Vastakas.
-We will not pursue this project. It will simply be too costly, says Rimvydas Vastakas, Vice-Minister of Transport and communications.
-The requirements by EU would be very demanding, strict regulations would apply, and state support for a venture like that would probably also not be legal, nor possible. That is one side of the issue. Another is the fact that in only one year 14 European airlines have gone bankrupt, indicating very insecure prospects for setting up a new airline.
-The decision to scrap plans for the establishing of a new national carrier leaves us with two alternatives: one is to pursue the idea of a pan-Baltic carrier to serve the markets and needs of all three Baltic states, as aired by the meeting of the Baltic transport minister this summer.
-Another option is to work out a list of routes from Lithuania to international destinations of prime importance for Lithuania.
-I would like to see a list like this to serve as the basis for a tender to be opened, hopefully, by the start of 2010 already.
-Airlines could then enter the tender and bid on either all or a parcel of the routes included, and we could then select a winner, or winners, on the basis of an evaluation of how to obtain the best and most economic solution to meet this country's needs for air transportation.
-We will probably need the cooperation of a competent consultant to assist the Lithuanian state in sorting out the details and prepare the eventual opening of the tender, says Mr Vastakas.