- Transport Committee sets out steps
for Government to future-proof aviation sector
Aviation must be incorporated in future pandemic resilience
planning to provide travellers and the industry with
predictability and transparency, warn MPs.
In a new report, UK aviation: reform for take-off, the
Transport Committee sets out positive actions for the Government
to support the recovery and development of the sector following
the coronavirus pandemic.
The Transport Committee’s report concludes that the Government’s
restrictions on air travel throughout the pandemic were
disproportionate to the risks to public health, causing a severe
financial shock to the sector. The decision-making process was
not transparent or consistent, nor based on scientific
consensus.
The arbitrary nature of fifteen different changes to restrictions
imposed on travellers also left them struggling to navigate a
confusing ‘traffic light’ system, access affordable testing and
secure refunds.
The Government must set up an international travel toolkit based
on the principles of transparency and proportionate action, says
the report. International travel restrictions must be evidenced
by the advice and analysis used by ministers to impose
restrictions, considering public health and economic factors. A
global taskforce promoting the standardisation of the remaining
international travel requirements should be convened.
Today’s report makes recommendations on international travel
including testing, consumer rights, domestic air travel,
sustainable aviation and slot rules. Key actions for Government
include:
- Publish the aviation recovery plan as a priority and no later
than 1 June 2022.
- Introduce an Airline Insolvency Bill in the next Session of
Parliament, to better protect consumers, employees and
taxpayers.
- Upgrade the power of the Civil Aviation Authority to impose
financial penalties on airlines that do not refund customers when
required. Powers to enforce potential environmental mandates
should also be reviewed.
- Intervene to establish safe and affordable coronavirus
testing options for travel, still required by other
countries.
- Implement more flexible rules on Public Service Obligation
routes and Air Passenger Duty to improve connectivity between the
four UK nations.
- Urgently address the delivery of the airspace modernisation
strategy to support the Government’s decarbonisation
targets.
- Delay proposed landing charge increases at Heathrow Airport
by one year to monitor the progress of the sector’s recovery.
In April 2022, airport passenger numbers increased to their
highest since the start of the pandemic, putting pressure on the
sector during the Easter holidays. The Committee is critical of
Government attempts to lay the blame on an aviation sector
decimated by restrictions and a lack of certainty offered by
ministers. Government is urged to review the processes related to
the timely recruitment and training of staff.
The Chair of the Transport Committee, , said:
“In the face of a global pandemic, today’s report acknowledges
the difficult position faced by Government. However, Government
action was inconsistent. It left industry and passengers confused
and unable to plan ahead. This resulted in a severe economic
deficit for the aviation sector. Thousands of people lost
their jobs. Many more could not visit their loved
ones. England’s coronavirus restrictions on international
travel were imposed with no overall assessment of their impact –
a point underlined by the recent report from the National Audit
Office.
“Now that Government has removed all
coronavirus-related restrictions on international travel,
ministers must get on with protecting the sector against
future economic shocks and reassuring passengers that future
restrictions will only be implemented in extreme
circumstances. Legislation is urgently needed to give the
industry more flexibility to recruit new staff for the summer, to
give the regulator more teeth to intervene on behalf of consumers
and to provide protection from airline insolvencies.
“Today we set out sensible recommendations with the aim of
helping Government to achieve this. Above all, we want ministers
to be transparent with industry and passengers. Over Easter, we
witnessed a sector in the early stages of recovery and vulnerable
to disruption. The increase in demand is encouraging but a
sustained and supportive approach from Government is vital to
nurse the sector back to recovery.”
Further information:
The full list of conclusions and recommendations can be found on
page 46 of the embargoed report, attached.
