Article from BTNews 13 APRIL 2020
Aviation industry government call
In an unprecedented move the three leading British aviation industry groupings ADS (the former SBAC with 1,100 UK member businesses in the aerospace, defence and security industries), Airlines UK and the Airport Operators Association (AOA) have jointly called for Government to extend support schemes before companies face difficult decisions affecting their workforces.
They point out that 1.6m jobs and £92bn in GDP are dependent on aviation, aerospace and the tourism sectors.
The group points out that the Scottish Government has already extended the business rate relief measures to include aviation. It calls upon Westminster to extend the Job Retention Scheme beyond May and make financial support schemes available to all businesses and work internationally to ensure a coordinated approach is taken to the lifting of travel restrictions and other related measures to boost consumer confidence.
Signed off by Paul Everitt, chief executive, ADS; Tim Alderslade, chief executive, Airlines UK and Karen Dee, chief executive, AOA, the statement makes the point very clearly.
“Other countries are acting decisively, with unprecedented financial support for airports and airlines in the US, Australia, France, Norway and many other countries. Without clear steps by the UK Government, including those outlined above, the UK aviation, aerospace and travel sectors are at risk of being left behind in the recovery”.
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