Statistics show mandatory aviation sector national security
checks are being processed in record time, as the industry works
to rapidly fill vacancies in the face of heightened demand for
flights this summer.
The government has introduced a range of measures to help process
security checks as quickly as possible, resulting in around 97%
of Accreditation Checks being completed in around 5 days on
average, with Counter Terrorist Checks (CTC) in the Aviation sector
being processed in under 10 days on average. This is a reduction
from the 20-day average turnaround for CTC checks in March,
before the priority measures for aviation sector applications
were introduced.
The government has also already provided flexibility for
employers to begin training new staff on certain modules while
their background checks are ongoing, further speeding up the
onboarding process, and is allowing HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) employment
history letters to be used as a suitable form of reference check.
Stringent checks are required on all new aviation employees
before they can start work, with the UK being a world leader in aviation
security. With passengers experiencing last-minute cancellations
and delays as a result of the aviation industry struggling to
recruit enough staff in time to meet the current surge in demand,
the government has focused on delivering these checks as quickly
as possible without compromising security to help ensure people
don’t experience a repeat of the disruption at Easter during the
summer holidays.
Transport Secretary said:
These statistics demonstrate how the government is doing its bit
to help deliver for passengers; now the industry must fulfil its
responsibilities.
People have made huge sacrifices during the pandemic and deserve
their flights to run on time, without complications, and without
being cancelled last minute. While this is a challenging time for
the sector, it is not acceptable for the current disruption to
continue as we head into the summer peak. The public
deserves to know now whether or not their flight will run over
the summer, and so I reiterate my call for the industry to commit
to deliver the flights they have scheduled, or to cancel them
well in advance so people can make other arrangements.
Building on our 22-point plan to help the industry minimise
disruption, we will continue to do everything in our power to
ensure this summer is a great success for the British public.
The government announced a 22-point
plan last week designed to ensure passengers don’t face
a summer of disruption. This includes measures to help the
industry recruit and train staff and ensure the delivery of
realistic summer schedules.
Ministers have rejected calls to issue temporary visas for
aviation workers, with staff shortages not being exclusive to
the UK, but happening
across Europe and the US too. Similar schemes in other
sectors experiencing shortages, such as the HGV sector, have not been widely
used and have not significantly contributed towards a solution.
Instead, the government is committed to building a resilient,
well-paid British workforce, which will prove a far more
effective, sustainable and long-term solution. To support this,
government has already launched the Aviation Skills Retention
Platform to help develop and hold onto UK workers.
Schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland are breaking up for
summer, firing the starting gun on the busy summer holiday period
– over 100 days after all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on
international travel from the UK were lifted.
