The bill for airline security at aerodromes on the Bragança-Portimão air service is still up in the air as all parties say it’s not down to them to pay up.
Three months after the start of the AeroVip airlink, there still is no agreement between the councils and the GNR on who pays for the GNR’s time and expertise in overseeing passengers.
You’ve guessed it, ‘a meeting has been scheduled’ between the Secretaries of State for the Interior and the one for Planning and Infrastructure Management. How this has taken months to arrange is not known.
The government says it relies on the common sense of both parties in order to reach an understanding, so that the airline can continue to function smoothly.
This is a laudable sentiment but one that inevitably will result in further delays, inaction and possible debt collection action by the State against the councils unless someone actually solves this issue that should never have arisen.
Jorge Gomes, Secretary of State for Internal Affairs says that according to the law, the payment of the GNR for security is responsibility of the owners of the aerodromes.
"If we follow the law to the letter, the municipal councils are the owners of these aerodromes and they must pay the GNR or a private security company to check passengers boarding."
The Secretary of State added that this security service is for the proper functioning of the airline and is not a public security service.
"This service is not free and is not a public security service. It is a service obligation and is down to the owners of the aerodromes used on the Portimão-Bragança route."
Gomes says that it’s all down to common sense and hopes they can maintain the extremely high safety standards that are required today in civil aviation.
The councils involved are not having it and are refusing to pay the GNR's monthly invoices that are piling up. One mayor said that municipalities already are taking on extra charges and do not want any more.
Bragança council can expect an annual bill of just over €100,000 with Vila Real, Viseu and Portimão paying less.
How the bill for security was not agreed before this publicly funded air route was launched defies polite description.
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You know, one of those muscle building types wearing a uniform a scowl.