One of the few concerns arising out of the Artanian Union remains the question of transnational travel. While for nations such as Rutania and Luthori, the existence of a common border provides unique benefits for the free movement of people, for other nations including Dorvik and Malivia and their relative distances from both Rutania and Luthori create the impetus for a precarious situation on travel among AU members. Among the concerns raised by stakeholders during closed-door negotiation sessions, the supposed cost of intra-regional travel had been raised. According to some estimates, with a lack of coordination among the AU states on air travel and the fares/taxes related to air travel, it is expected that there could be a marked increase in the cost of intra-regional air travel, which when the operationalisation process is complete, will be the most dominant mode of transport/travelling among AU citizens. With an eye on addressing the situation, Rutania’s Interim Representative to the AU, Dr James Turnbull revealed that for much of the negotiations process whereby the Rutanian Government attempted to court nations such as Malivia and Luthori to ratify the AU treaty and aid in its development, plans were in an advanced stage for the creation of a pan-Artanian airline, which when operationalised could aid in reducing air travel costs and allow for AU member to benefit from maintaining a relationship with the proposed company. Coined Union Airlines, Dr Turnbull stated that the concept was born out of an understanding that all members of the AU, all member states must share the common burdens of the organisation in the same way they share the organisation’s common benefits. He explained that the proposed airline would be markedly different from much of the airlines currently over the skies of Artania and the wider world as much of the company would be virtually owned by the numerous AU members both present and potentially in the future. He explained that his aforementioned comments of common burdens and benefits become a reality for the airline as in AU members, upon ratifying the Charter of the Artanian Union, will become automatic shareholders,
with shares being divided among member states based on the proportionality of the nation’s population size. Dr Turnbull argued that the citizens of nations with larger populations would be more inclined to travel to other nations within the region either for migration or vacation.
Speaking to the general structure of the airline and its future operations, Dr Turnbull stated that once the airline is operationalised, much of its operations will be based out of Fort William, Luthori. He noted Fort William’s near-central location on the Artanian continent provides for numerous benefits for air travel among them proportional travel distances between members states on the northern and southern ends of the continent. Initial funding for the airline, to get its operations “off the ground”, is expected to be provided via a one-time stimulus from the AU, which Dr Turnbull hopes that a functioning AU Parliament could potentially deliberate on. With much of the airline’s operations set to be based out of Fort William, Luthori Dr Turnbull stated that he hoped that the Luthorian Government would use the opportunity to address infrastructure shortcomings within the nation, recognising that the nation hasn’t had any major or even minor infrastructure development plans within recent history. He said: “The efficiency of the operations of the airline is predicated on two primary factors: (1) its internal decision-making process and (2) the quality of infrastructure within Luthori to support the airline’s operations. I’d hope that before this airline becomes operational, Luthori will either approach the AIIB (Artanian Infrastructure Investment Bank) or another means for funding for a complete transformation of Fort William’s airport infrastructure. When pressed on why he believed Fort William’s airport infrastructure to be of great importance to the airline’s success, he explained that, unlike other airlines, he hoped that Union Airlines could potentially aid in the development of a true airport hub for the region. “Much of the airlines we say today are primarily focused on profits and are not focused on ensuring the model under which their companies exist within is sustainable. Airport infrastructure allows for the airline to diversify its operations into other sectors including cargo, ICT incubation and much more. We believe that by investing in becoming facilitators for innovation and development within Luthori, both Union Airlines and the Luthorian Government could be partners in economic growth.” Dr Turnbull also spoke to the leadership structure of the airline. He explained that similar to the AU structure of rotating leadership, the Chairman of the company would be rotated among AU members, with each nation (in their capacity as Chairman of the airline) being able to influence the general direction of the airline, albeit with limits to ensure the airlines remains sustainable and does not deviate from its core purpose of connecting the AU.
Speaking to operations, Dr Turnbull stated that the airline would have to acquire gates in the major airports throughout the continent, recognising that its operations cannot remain exclusive to AU members. On the airline’s future fleet, Dr Turnbull stated that it was hoped that the company could come to an agreement with the Artanian Defence Group (ADG) on reduced prices for the company’s commercial aircraft as he argued that both companies are largely Artanian. It is expected that once operationalised the airline’s operations will remain within the continent for some time as the company attains economies of scale. Speaking to how the company could potentially reduce travel fares, Dr Turnbull stated that the future shareholders of the company (AU member states) will have to agree to subsidize air travel and reduce domestic taxes on air travel. Seeking to rebuff future opponents to subsidised air travel, Dr Turnbull stated that the subsidisation of air travel and the very creation of the airline should not be viewed through the single lens of turning a profit but it should be viewed as achieving a clear economic profit for AU citizens, noting that the lack of a more integrated road infrastructure network producers some concerns. “When conceptualising this airline we were not concerned with its profitability, as in the long-run such thinking would not be beneficial to anyone. We believe that this serves as a public good, and thus there must be an eagerness to maintain the benefits of this move, notwithstanding the profits margins.”
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