A joint statement by Airlines UK and the Airport Operators Association (AOA) following the Prime Minister’s announcement Saturday evening (31 October).

“This announcement is a 180-degree reversal of policy, since the Government added the Canaries to the travel corridors list just last week.

“Aviation has been devastated by the pandemic and has essentially never had the opportunity to recover. A ban on international travel means airlines and airports, already hamstrung by quarantine, are closed businesses and will require financial support now – which other sectors like hospitality have received – alongside a comprehensive restart package.

“This needs to include immediate additional economic support for the winter and steps to support recovery, including urgent roll-out of a testing regime, business rates relief for airports, and an emergency waiver of Air Passenger Duty that will be essential for enabling and stimulating international travel – absolutely vital for the UK economy – for as long as we are living with this virus. Hundreds of thousands of jobs and our economic recovery are on the line.”

https://airlinesuk.org  

www.aoa.org.uk

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Graham Stephenson, UK

as an industry we must agree the subjects that of utmost importance to us and work as a group to take up the fight to save what we can of our industry. We must work together as one voice. Government support should be available to all, no ifs or buts.

JOHN Baxter-Smith, Burgess Hill

So what are "other legally permitted reasons" and how do you prove it? Will you be denied boarding without it?

Chris Pocock, Uxbridge, UK

In section 11 of the the govt guidelines for this new lockdown, it states that travel abroad is allowed, if it is for work purposes.

Paul Sharp, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

This feels like utter madness. If flying to a country requiring a PCR test and with low numbers surely the risk of travel is negligible? What constitutes an essential business trip too. Our industry is being crippled

Chris Pocock, Uxbridge, UK

Totally agree. According to the govt's own statistics (ONS), 0.07% of the population in England has died from the virus, and 1% were new cases. Need I say more?

David Bentley, Oldham

So far, reluctantly, I have supported this government even in the face of some of its inane decisions. No longer. These are the actions of a fascist state.