Consequences of failing to protect Britain’s world-class aviation industry are unthinkable

The planned 14-day quarantine due to be introduced next week, although well intentioned, is unfortunately representative of the approach the Government have taken to supporting our world-class aviation sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the MP for Gatwick Airport, I warned in January of the potentially devastating impacts that the virus could have on that industry. Sadly, these warnings went largely unanswered. As the virus hit, the devastating impacts became reality and continue to be felt by all of those connected to our aviation industry.

As an island nation, aviation is vital to our economic and social future. It touches every aspect of our lives, including the freight transported by air, much-needed pharmaceutical supplies and the millions of jobs which the industry creates across the economy.

Aviation is a major economic enabler. It will be central to restarting our economy as we move out of the lockdown and look to our economic recovery through Brexit and beyond.

Whilst it is of course right that public health concerns remain the Government’s most urgent priority, these must be practical and based on common sense.

Throughout the world, we are beginning to see borders reopened and the “green shoots” of recovery for vital aviation and tourism industries.

Yet, we in the UK are taking a different approach and disincentivising inbound passengers to the UK.

At the very least, the Government must work with industry to implement “air bridges” to low-risk nations as soon as possible. It is perfectly possible to protect us from the risks posed by those nations with high infection rates, whilst allowing our aviation sector to get back to work and help pull the UK economy back from the brink.

This is the wrong policy at the wrong time. It risks stunting our economic recovery before it has even begun. We risk holding back our aviation industry through a lack of broader assistance measures that not only support the industry but also the businesses that depend on it.

With estimates suggesting that it may take a few years to get international travel figures back up to 2019 levels, and with disruption for our tourism industry expected to last well into next year, removing the protection afforded those employed by the industry and its supply chain too quickly will be devastating. The Government must provide sector-specific support for those industries that will take longer to bounce back to pre-covid levels.

I also urge the Government to work with local government and airports as a priority to provide funding for business rates relief from Whitehall and not simply push the issue back to local authorities, many of whom are at the forefront of dealing with Covid-19.

The Chancellor needs also to bring forward a review of Air Passenger Duty. We cannot expect our aviation industry to recover whilst being burdened by the highest aviation taxes in Europe. There is also an urgent need for more funding to develop alternative fuels and to support the sector to become more sustainable.

The impacts of a failure to support aviation will reverberate across the economy. That is why we must push for a broad package of measures which support our aviation industry to play its full role in rebuilding our economy.

The consequences of inaction are unthinkable.

Henry Smith is chairman of the Future of Aviation Group and Conservative MP for Crawley

‘Aviation will be central to restarting our economy as we move out of lockdown and look to our recovery’