UK Pilot Association Calls for Government Support After Minister Casts Doubt on Holiday Season
February 10 2021 - 12:03PM
Dow Jones News
By Anthony O. Goriainoff
The British Airline Pilots Association said Wednesday that it
has called on the U.K. government to support the aviation industry
after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said people shouldn't book
holidays.
The association said the U.K.'s recent lockdown and actions on
borders, quarantine and testing meant the aviation industry is
essentially being shut down, and said it must receive support
immediately.
"People shouldn't be booking holidays right now--not
domestically or internationally," Mr. Shapps told BBC Radio 4's
Today program.
Balpa said that, while it is understandable for the government
to make difficult decisions in the interest of public health, if
the effect of government action is to shut down the aviation sector
then it stands to reason that it must compensate for lost
business.
"The U.K. aviation sector cannot survive another summer with
hardly any flying... Airlines are drowning, but rather than
throwing us a life raft, the Transport Secretary has just thrown a
bucket of cold water at us," Balpa General Secretary Brian Strutton
said.
London-listed airline shares at 1728 GMT were down with
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA falling 2.7% to 149.70
pence, easyJet PLC down 3.5% at 760.20 pence, Ryanair slipping 1.4%
at EUR15.00 and Wizz Air Holdings PLC trading 0.9% lower at 4,690
pence.
Write to Anthony O. Goriainoff at
anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 10, 2021 11:48 ET (16:48 GMT)
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