Pilots are calling on the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union to bring certainty to the UK aviation industry following the vote for Brexit.

Airlines have already been hit particularly hard following the vote to leave the EU and pilots are urging the Government to bring aviation to the very top of matters and begin working on how the UK will thrive outside the EU.

We are already seeing a reduction in demand for leisure and business travel, and volatile share prices affecting airlines but we are still fully to understand how the changes will affect aviation regulation.

Brian Strutton, General Secretary of the British Air Line Pilots’ Association (BALPA) says the organisation will do all it can to support the aviation industry though the current turbulent political and economic times.

He said: “Pilots are conscious of the many potential effects of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on the future of our thriving aviation sector and it is surprising that there seems to be no plan ready to deal with the consequences.

“There is a lot of uncertainty ahead and BALPA is already working to obtain the best outcomes for pilots, passengers and the industry as a whole.

“In the meantime, we urge our Government to start making some swift decisions on the future of aviation.”

BALPA will dedicate one day of its two-day Annual Delegates Conference in November to Brexit, and discussing what the implications are for pilots, the industry and, crucially, for flight safety regulation.

BALPA will continue to work with the UK Government, particularly the Department for Transport, to ensure that pilots’ voices are heard in the debate about our future relationship with the EU