Jens Garðar says Loftbrú changes are out of step

Jens Garðar Helgason, an Independence Party MP for the Northeast constituency, has criticised planned changes to Loftbrú, a scheme that subsidises air travel, and questioned whether regional residents are being heard, mbl.is reports.

He said the changes proposed by Infrastructure Minister Eyjólfur Ármannsson were announced without consultation with other government MPs, governing parties or local authorities. Jens also dismissed the minister’s explanation for the changes and said he should keep the existing arrangement.

Under the plan, from the start of the year the subsidy would be 7,000 krónur per flight leg, replacing the current subsidy of 40 per cent of the fare. Residents outside the capital region would remain entitled to six subsidised flight legs a year.

Jens also cited an increase in the per-kilometre charge as an example of what he said showed regional residents were not being listened to. After the proposals drew criticism over the weekend, Eyjólfur told media he intended to review the subsidy and raise it to 9,000 krónur per flight leg.