English airports will close without government support, AOA warns
The Airport Operators Association (AOA) has written to the Prime Minister to call for urgent support to help protect airports following restrictions on international travel announced as a part of England’s second national lockdown.
In a letter to Boris Johnson the trade body said airports would like to remain open throughout the lockdown, but without government support would not be able to do so.
It said a lot was riding on the aviation sector’s success, including Britain’s future place in the world: “Without a successful aviation sector, your government’s ambitions to level-up the regions of the UK and to deliver a global trading Britain post-Brexit will be simply unachievable,” it read.
England entered a second national lockdown earlier this week after the transmission rate of the Covid-19 virus and the number of cases increased across the country.
Better testing needed
The AOA asked government for Business Rates Relief for English airports for 12 months, bringing them into line with their Northern Irish and Scottish counterparts, and the hospitality and the retail sectors. It also asked the Welsh government to take similar action for Welsh airports.
The trade body asked government for the decision to remove tax-free shopping from airports to be reversed. It also asked for urgent progress with testing to be made, and for it to be ready to reduce the need for quarantine when breaks in restrictions allow travel.
AOA chief executive Karen Dee said airpoints could not remain open indefinitely without government support.
“That our airports have weathered the greatest challenge they have ever faced without the levels of support afforded to other sectors or by other European nations has left our sector on its knees, with airports losing money at a staggering rate,” she said.
“This is simply unsustainable, and it is imperative the government understands the brutal reality our airports face and brings forward a package of support measures without any further delays.
“Without support our aviation sector faces an uncertain future which will hold back our national economic recovery and leave the government’s Global Britain plans in tatters.”