MEMBERS of the Welsh Conservative group have attacked First Minister Carwyn Jones for flying to the US from Heathrow, rather than using Cardiff Airport in Rhoose.

As Cardiff Rhoose International Airport begins a campaign to promote flights to North America via Dublin or Amsterdam, Mr Jones has come under fire for "ignoring his own marketing and publicity" and failing to fly from the airport he "effectively owns" last week.

Mr Jones himself placed the blame at the feet of a "squeezed timetable" which required him to be at Capitol Hill within two hours of arriving in the US for a St David's Day reception. He said that flying from Cardiff would have meant him spending two more days in America "at the taxpayer's expense".

When questioned in the Welsh Assembly today, Tuesday March 3, as to whether the "smart way" to travel to America was via Cardiff Airport - as per the current advertising slogan - Mr Jones said: "It depends how much time you have.

"It would have meant me leaving a day before and staying a day after."

He went on to say that where it was feasible "of course" Cardiff would be his first choice.

Speaking afterwards Vale resident and Regional AM Andrew RT Davies said: “His cheap excuses will do nothing to restore faith in Welsh taxpayers, who have so far spent £80 million on the airport.

“How can anyone have confidence that this nationalisation will work, when the man who owns the site can’t be bothered to fly from there."

Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister, Byron Davies AM called the decision an "absolute farce".

"I am staggered that Labour’s First Minister has ignored previous criticism and kicked the airport while it’s down yet again," he said.

Previous figures highlighted by Welsh Conservatives revealed Cardiff was used for five out of 80 trade missions between 2011 and 2014.

Mr Davies is now pushing for a guarantee that trade missions will travel from Cardiff Airport.

When asked about this Mr Jones said: "I will always try and use Cardiff, I will be using Cardiff in a fortnight's time when I travel again and I always use Cardiff where it's possible."