OTELIERS have joined the ranks of those critical of the way Commerce and Employment subsidises airlines.

Kings Mills Hotels Ltd managing director Ian Walker (pictured) dismissed as ludicrous the system whereby the department gives airlines £1.05 of taxpayers’ money for every passenger they carry on key routes, excluding those to the other islands.

‘It is a complete waste of money, absolutely useless,’ he said.

For the department to take the total sum of £800,000 and spread it so thinly did not help, he said.

‘It’s a complete dilution. They should use it somewhere else – concentrate it on one element where it will have an effect,’ he said.

He suggested putting the money towards developing new links. He was convinced that in the years the subsidy had been around it had not benefited the island.

‘It has no effect whatsoever – it is ludicrous and it has been in place for too long.’