**Bristol Airport Hits Out at £205m Cardiff Airport Rescue Package**
Bristol Airport has delivered a scathing rebuke of the Welsh Government’s plans to inject an extra £205 million into Cardiff Airport, warning that such a move would create an “unprecedented” subsidy in the UK aviation sector and hand its nearest competitor a significant and unfair advantage. This strong reaction was set out by the airport’s chief executive, Dave Lees, in an open letter to Welsh Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans, prompting renewed debate over state intervention and airport competition on both sides of the Severn.
The Welsh Government controversially bought Cardiff Airport in 2013 from Spanish firm Abertis for £52 million, aiming to transform the loss-making site into a driver of regional economic growth. Now, ministers intend to pour a further £205.2 million over the coming decade into a diversification plan involving maintenance and overhaul services, general aviation, freight expansion, and new route incentives. The ambition is to drive passenger numbers above two million annually within the next ten years.
Of the total proposed funding, a portion is also earmarked to support the attraction of new airlines and to encourage fresh aviation routes from Cardiff, whose passenger numbers have lagged significantly behind Bristol in recent years. In the twelve months to February, Bristol Airport served approximately 10.7 million passengers, compared to just 881,000 at Cardiff, despite nearly one-fifth of Bristol’s customers arriving from Wales.
The latest funding proposals were entered onto the UK government’s subsidy transparency database earlier in April, following non-binding feedback from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). However, Bristol Airport’s leadership has voiced sharp concerns about the way these announcements have been managed, suggesting a lack of openness and consultation as key decisions were made just before the Welsh Parliament’s Easter recess.
In his letter, Mr Lees highlighted concerns about both the timing and the secrecy surrounding the investment plans, stating: “It is deeply concerning that major announcements on the proposed subsidy have all taken place immediately prior to holidays and there was again no attempt to re-engage with Bristol Airport, despite repeated requests.” He added that efforts by Senedd members and others to secure more information about the government’s response to the CMA’s findings have met little success. “This results in a serious lack of transparency around this unprecedented subsidy in UK aviation, which is being funded at great expense by the taxpayer.”
Lees went further to assert that such a substantial state subsidy would “mean there is no longer a level playing field for competition between airports and airlines operating within the UK,” and warned that the initiative could undermine faith in future private sector investment in British transport infrastructure.
Seeking answers, Bristol Airport has launched a formal request to the Welsh Government for detailed information about the subsidy, including the anticipated benefits, alternative solutions considered, and a full impact assessment—especially in light of the cost to the Welsh taxpayer. The airport has indicated it is prepared to await a response from Rebecca Evans before considering further steps, which may include mounting a legal challenge through the Competition Appeals Tribunal. This body would be tasked with deciding if the subsidy constitutes unfair state aid under post-Brexit UK law.
In response, a Welsh Government spokesperson highlighted Cardiff Airport’s importance to the regional economy, stating: “We believe very strongly that, with the right investment, the Airport has the potential to make an even greater contribution, creating hundreds of additional jobs and boosting regional gross value added. Welsh Government investment will allow us to focus the strategic direction of the Airport on the delivery of long-term economic growth.” The spokesperson confirmed that the government had acknowledged Bristol Airport’s correspondence and would respond “as we consider appropriate in due course.”
To date, including the initial £52 million purchase price, Welsh Government support for Cardiff Airport now exceeds £180 million. The announcement of this fresh funding package is likely to further intensify scrutiny as questions are raised over state support, transparency, and the balance of competition between airports serving Wales and the wider south-west of England.
The situation underscores the challenges facing regional airports as they battle to recover and redefine their role in a crowded and fast-evolving aviation landscape, particularly as governments weigh up the costs and benefits of ongoing intervention. How the Welsh Government proceeds—and how the UK’s regulatory and legal framework responds—will be watched closely by the aviation industry across Britain.