Flybe says Friends of the Earth's statistics are wrong

Friends of the Earth (FoE) said a boom in cheap flights meant more people were going abroad, taking cash from the local economy.

But South West airlines and tourism bosses have refuted the claim and said the airports are essential.

Cornwall and Devon County Council spend millions of pounds running airports such as Newquay and Exeter.

Positive impact

Low-cost airline Flybe claim statistics proved the the FoE's stance was erroneous.

Mike Rutter, the company's marketing and sales director told BBC News: "Friends of the Earth have presented slanted statistics which fail to take into account all forms of public transport and the impact on the economy and environment.

"Aviation is the only form of public transport which gets close to paying its way and figures for 2004 show �137m in and �74m out, leaving a positive impact of �63m."

Tourism bosses say the low-cost airline revenue is important

Professor Peter Gripaios, an economist from the Plymouth Business School, said he believed the growth in domestic flights was good for Devon and Cornwall, but conceded that foreign flights may not be such good news.

He said: "I don't think there's any doubt that Friends of the Earth have got a point.

"I think that point applies most strongly to foreign destinations because foreign destinations do encourage people to go abroad for short and long breaks and spend money which they might well have spent here."

Friends of the Earth also claimed the expansion of Newquay Airport would be a mistake and would not bring financial benefits.

This too has been denied by South West Tourism, which said the growth of low-cost airlines was important to the region as it brings visitors and therefore revenue into the counties.

Meanwhile, Exeter-based budget airline Flybe announced on Friday that it carried 529,000 passengerslast month - a rise of 37.1% on the same time last year.