Marisa Garcia The UK vote in favour of leaving the European Union raises a number of questions for the aviation industry which we will want to watch closely in the months ahead.
Europe’s airports have issued a statement today calling for continued integration of European and UK aviation markets—“to safeguard and promote vital air connectivity for consumers as well as continued economic development.”
“The EU and the UK are faced with the challenge of establishing a new relationship. While there is for now much uncertainty as to what will be the model, structure and modus operandi for this new relationship, it will be essential that it allows for the UK and EU aviation markets to remain fully integrated and based on totally aligned—if not common—rules,” said Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE. “The EU’s single and fully liberalised aviation market has delivered tremendous benefits for consumers and businesses across Europe—with increased air connectivity at lower fares at its core. By putting so many airports not just on the European but also the global aviation map, the single European aviation market has transformed them into engines of growth for their communities—especially in the regions. We simply cannot afford to go backwards on what is now one of the backbones of our economies.”
Jankovec added: “Securing legal certainty over the continued integration of the EU and UK aviation markets must be one of the key priorities of the future EU & UK relationship. This is about avoiding any risk in terms of connectivity & business disruption. As the voice of Europe’s airports both within and beyond the EU, ACI EUROPE will pursue this agenda on behalf of its members.”
ACI EUROPE also urges the UK and the EU to maintain a common aviation security agenda, focused on cooperation, and intelligence and data sharing to address terrorism threats. The airports association had previously expressed concerns about the implications to aviation safety and security of a vote in favour of the UK leaving the Union.
European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc sent this tweet.
