Cheaper air travel

By Jason Moore THE Balearic government's crusade for cheaper inter-island air travel appears to be going nowhere. Just this week the central administration approved a price rise in fares of four euros. The Spanish newspapers yesterday quite rightly pointed out that it is cheaper to fly from Palma to Britain or Germany than from to Palma to Minorca. But what I don't understand is why the local government hasn't been courting the no-frills airlines which have made such a difference to European travel. The main British and German carriers have routes to all the islands and it is just a question of linking them all up. Even with the much publicised resident's discount it is still expensive to travel to Minorca and Ibiza and for people living on those islands it is vital for them to come to Palma. There must be a much simpler way of resolving this issue. Open up the inter-island services to the free market and I am sure that fares will tumble. If it was cheaper, easier and more flexible I am sure that some tourists would even go to our sister islands on a day trip, after all each of the three main markets are very different. A bit of imagination and the desire to overcome red tape would go a long way to resolving this situation. The war of words which is taking place between Palma and Madrid at the moment is just going nowhere.