Airlines UK report to Taskforce

A massive 116-page report has been submitted to the Government’s Global Travel Taskforce.

Commissioned by Airlines UK, Collinson, Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, International Airlines Group, Manchester Airports Group and Virgin Atlantic, and carried out by York Aviation, it highlights the cost of a ‘lost summer’ of international travel – £55.7bn in lost trade and £3.0bn in tourism GDP if reopening delayed until September – putting more than half a million jobs at risk.

The report makes clear the urgent need for the Global Travel Taskforce to recommend a safe and sustainable resumption of international travel on 17 May.

Being unable to re-open to the EU would cause the most damage, followed by the United States, with no air link to the US until September costing the UK £2.4bn (£23m per day) putting 51,600 jobs at risk.

The Global Travel Taskforce is due to report Monday 12 April although the Prime Minister may put out a statement next Monday 5 April.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, the industry association representing UK-registered carriers, summarises on behalf of the group, said: “For many of us, aviation is associated with a holiday or much needed break. However, this new report demonstrates just how vital the UK’s air links are to our economic prosperity, be it for British exporters, the hospitality sector or companies with an international footprint.

"The data refutes the claim that keeping aviation shut down, or delaying restart beyond the summer, is a price worth paying – with each day planes are grounded costing tens of millions of pounds and putting thousands of jobs at risk. The priority now is clear; ensuring a durable framework for a risk-based approach to reopening air travel from 17 May.”

See also in this week’s BTN Key date 5 April and ABTA and the Global Travel Taskforce

The full report can be read here.

https://airlinesuk.org

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