NEWQUAY Airport – once the proud boast of Cornish regeneration efforts – yesterday fell silent as demands for answers over who will pay for the fiasco of its closure went unanswered.

In the latest setback, it has emerged that a three-week enforced shutdown may be extended into 2009 as work on land next to the runway remains incomplete.

It comes as a further blow for Cornwall County Council, who last week confessed they could not obtain the correct operating licence to take over the airport from RAF St Mawgan.

Passengers who turned up at Newquay Airport yesterday angrily condemned the shambles and already hard pressed tourism chiefs said it would cost them millions of pounds.

Meanwhile, CCC is adamantly refusing to say who is to blame, how much the fiasco will cost – and whether council taxpayers will foot the bill.

"The silence is deafening," said Independent county councillor Mark Kaczmarek.

"This has brought shame, real, shame on Cornwall County Council. And it will have far reaching repercussions because this is how people outside Cornwall will perceive how we do business."

The airport was yesterday due to have been handed over from the RAF to CCC in a formal ceremony.

However, last week the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) refused to grant the council a licence because the air traffic control facility was not ready.

In a further twist, work on land next to the runway remains unfinished, meaning the expected three-week closure could stretch into next year.

Andrew Mitchell, CCC's economy portfolio holder, told the WMN there were no guarantees. "People have asked me to give a categorical 'yes', the airport will open again on December 20. I cannot do that. All I can say is that we have the resources there and we have a plan and we know how to deliver that plan."

The work on the air traffic control tower is believed to have been completed, although "snagging" (tying up loose ends) and testing still needs to be carried out. However, the CAA has demanded that land next to the runway is shored up in a project which is estimated to require up to 10 days of dry weather.

Yesterday's handover was to have been a prelude to a posh black tie dinner dance at Newquay's Headland Hotel next Friday. The £28-per-head Transition Ball at which 200 of the 300 tickets had been sold was cancelled.

A spokeswoman for the council said the event was self-funding and no cost of it would have been taken on board by the authority. "It was just a way to say thank you to all the people who have worked very hard on the airport," she said.

John Armstrong, owner of the landmark hotel, was highly critical of the council after a conference which was due to be staged there was cancelled because of the airport closure.

Business leaders say they are dismayed by the closure, which provides a vital launch for a convenient day-return trip to London.

Although December is a quiet time of year for the tourism industry, it has been estimated that cancelled trips could mean the loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds to the local economy.

Passengers were furious as some faced the first leg of their continental holiday with a road trip to Plymouth and others with a journey home from Stansted airport in Essex.

One woman said: "I think it's pretty disgusting. Someone needs to go at Cornwall County Council."

Another woman said: "Cornwall County Council has really let us down."

Caroline Righton, the Conservative Prospective MP for Newquay and St Austell, said she had met some members of the aviation industry who were "unified in their criticism" of the council's handling of the situation.

Ms Righton said she would be conducting her own investigation into the situation.

In winter, Newquay Airport has three main commercial customers: Air Southwest, Ryanair and Skybus (to the Isles of Scilly).

Air Southwest has transferred its passengers to Plymouth Airport, while Ryanair, which flies to Stansted and Spain, has cancelled all flights until further notice.

As a result of the Irish budget carrier's decision, CCC is paying for any Ryanair passengers who wish to fly with Air Southwest on their London Gatwick service instead. Skybus has transferred all its flight to Land's End Airport.

Since the closure of Newquay Airport was announced, the WMN has persistently quizzed Cornwall County Council over such issues as whether Cornish council taxpayers will foot the bill and whether it would affect front line services?

The WMN has been unable to obtain any answers from CCC.

A statement issued on Friday and again yesterday said: "At this particular time we are working flat out to make sure the airfield is open as soon as possible. Our key priorities are carrying out the necessary works to achieve the licence and to alleviate inconvenience to our passengers. This is where our focus lies and we are not prepared to divert valuable resources to address these questions at this time. Now is not the time to apportion blame and we will give full answers when we are in a position to do so."