24Hr emergency line +44 (0)20 8476 4099
Join Balpa

Pilots call on the Government to stop delaying on details of support for aviation

The British Airline Pilots Association says the Government must stop delaying details of the support it is offering to aviation through the coronavirus crisis. Pilots say airlines need the information now as they are taking drastic action as the effect of global travel restrictions are felt.

The call comes as easyJet has announced it is grounding its entire fleet, and all other airlines are scaling back to virtually zero flying. easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and Loganair have been reported as calling for urgent Government help and Flybe, the first casualty of the Coronavirus, should not be overlooked.

BALPA says aviation was at the forefront of the coronavirus impact, yet airlines are still waiting for help from the Government despite repeated promises of action.

BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said:

“We saw the impact that coronavirus had on Flybe and predicted then that other airlines would suffer severely if no help was offered.

“The Government promised that it would implement bespoke packages of support for the aviation industry, but where are they?

“The sector was thriving before this crisis and will be vital to the country’s economic recovery when the virus abates. But without support NOW, the airlines could be gone, and the industry will not be there when we need it.

“Airlines have done what they can to mitigate the effect of having almost no revenue for the summer, their key earning period, as they were asked to do.

“Now the Government needs to fulfil its promise to help, before it is too late.”