By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 16 Jul 2017 • 6:19
AIRPORTS WARNING: European flights could be grounded post-Brexit
A MAJOR airport trade association that represents Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and 18 other UK airports has warned the Government that flights to Europe could be suspended should it fail to reach a deal on aviation post-Brexit.
It comes in the same week that Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary told the European Parliament that ‘Heathrow will be deserted, summer holidays cancelled and Ryanair aircraft moved to Europe’ if the principles of Open Skies are not retained.
The EU Open Skies agreement currently provides uniform rules for the airlines and airports of member states and one in two passengers handled by UK airports flies to an EU member state.
ACI Europe, the European Region Airports Council International, which represents more than 500 airports in 45 countries has said such freedom will not be maintained if the British government does not develop a strategy on “air connectivity” once outside the EU.
It warned that legal issues could mean all flights between the EU and UK are grounded.
Earlier this year the ACI warned that the UK is risking 270,000 jobs and some €15.4billion a year if it damages its aviation relationship with the EU.
The organisation’s director general, Olivier Jankovec said, “The clock has been ticking since March and negotiations began last month.”
“Yet, we remain completely in the dark as to what will happen on April 1, 2019 and we have no idea how long this uncertainty will persist.
“The fact that the UK has yet to define a clear and detailed position as to what it wants – not just in terms of its new relationship with the EU, but also about how to transition there – is not helping.
“This only results in precious time being lost and potentially increases the risk of a no-deal scenario – which should be avoided at all cost, as it could ultimately result in flights between the UK and the EU being suspended.”
“As it now stands, in the absence of a deal on a transition or the future regime, aviation would simply fall into a legal vacuum, which if not addressed could simply mean no flights,” he said.
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Ah yes. We all remember those days in 1972 when you couldn’t fly to Europe because we had not joined the Common Market ! And queuing for 6 months at the French Embassy for a Visa to go to Calais . . . Does anyone actually BELIEVE this nonsense ?
Just what I was thinking. What a load of bo####is.
Yeah – this is just the opinion of an airport trade association, a regional airport council, an airline owner. On this technical, legal topic I’d rather take the word of a tabloid editor, any day!
Absolute scaremongering the airports want and need people’s money end of, they still don’t want to accept it do they?
how many airlines in countries outside the EU fly into Europe everyday and no problem. so thinking out loud what a complete utter nonsense of this clap trap to gain what increases in air fares nothing surprises me any more
Oh, it’s romper room news flash time again and spread by the EWN! Please we recommend you only publish news suitable for an adult market or at least those of average intelligence and above 🙂
If it happens it happens, Sooner that than be ordered about by nazis
Total rubbish, scaremongering!
if this happened the eu and uk industries would grind to a halt as no trade would be done as the representatives of businesses in all these areas would not be able to travel. also the care sector would suffer as a lot of live in care workers travel between europe and the uk, myself being one of them
It’s not that non-EU countries can’t fly to the EU. The problem is that as the UK has made no firm proposals, there will literally be no rules. A legal vacuum, as stated here. Sure, non-EU flights do land in Europe, but within a defined legal framework. Unless something is agreed, there will be no such framework; there’s no blanket third-country plan the UK can just default to. Airlines have to plan a year ahead and with no deal, they couldn’t.
The sooner EU flights are cancelled, the better. We would rather not be able to travel to the EU than be ruled by a bunch of evil greedy b@$ã@#&s. brexit will bring wonderful opportunities to our country like being able to fly to more South American countries or more direct routes to Los Angeles. Brexit will allow us to strike bilateral aviation deals with WHICHEVER country we like without fear of being overruled by the evil, meddling ECJ.
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