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Regional Airports: Air Routes

Asked by Mr Richard HoldenConservativeDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 13 January 2026UIN 102882

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2025 to Question 96341, what consideration her Department has given to funding Public Service Obligation air routes between UK airports which do not involve the service starting or ending in London.

Answered by Keir Mather

In December 2023, the Department for Transport published updated Public Service Obligation (PSO) guidance extending support to region-to-region PSOs which removes the historical requirement for eligible PSO routes to operate into London.

Region-to-region PSOs can be used on existing routes if a route is at risk of being lost and the route meets the criteria for PSO support. These would need to be funded by the relevant local authorities.

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