Airlines UK respond to Sunday Times article on Brexit and aviation market access

July 17th, 2017

Commenting on a Sunday Times article (16/07/17) on the impact of Brexit on the UK airline industry and the selling of air tickets before March 2019, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered carriers, said:

“Aviation provides important economic connections which must continue after the UK leaves the EU. We look forward to the EU and UK reaching an agreement as soon as possible that allows consumers and businesses from all European countries to continue to travel to and from the UK and around Europe just as they do today. It also means protecting current market access to and from the US and international destinations. 

“The UK is the 3rd largest aviation market in the world, behind only the United States and China, with connections to over 370 international destinations, and within the EU we are the largest by far.  Aviation is an enabler of economic growth and jobs, it is not a traded good. People use airlines to get somewhere and to do something. This means that aviation brings value to both the UK and the EU, it is not only a British or an EU export. There is clearly an incentive, therefore, for both sides to conclude an agreement sooner rather than later, to provide clarity to both consumers and airlines.”