The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for urgent action by the U.K. and the European Union to put in place contingency planning for the continuation of air services in the event of a “no-deal Brexit.”
IATA also is calling for the governments to move much faster to bring certainty to three critical air transport issues:
• The uninterrupted continuation of air connectivity;
• The framework for regulating safety and security;
• And the policies and processes needed for efficient border management.
“These are the most critical areas because there are no fallback agreements such as the WTO framework available in a no-deal Brexit scenario,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO. “Without any contingency planning being made transparent to the industry, the risks of not addressing these issues could mean chaos for travelers and interrupted supply chains. With less than six months to go, we have little more certainty than we did in June 2016.
The call for urgent attention to air transport issues in Brexit follows the release of an IATA-commissioned study of the effects of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union on airlines flying to and from the U.K.
Even in the best-case scenario, one in which a Brexit transition phase is agreed for the period after March, a high degree of uncertainty and risk to air services remains, IANA said, asserting that a “no-deal” or “hard” Brexit outcome, without an agreement for a transition period, is likely to lead to significant disruption to air services.
“The goal should be a comprehensive air services agreement that does not step backwards from the connectivity existing today,” de Juniac said. “But with the possibility of a no-deal Brexit still on the table this late in the game, it is now essential that the EU and U.K. civil aviation authorities plan for contingency arrangements to maintain a minimum level of connectivity, which is vital for people and for business. This has to be one of the most important Brexit considerations.
“A backstop contingency plan to keep planes flying after March must be published and quickly,” de Juniac said.
IATA also is calling for the U.K. to remain in the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) at least as a third country member. In addition, the association wants EASA and the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to be allowed to initiate detailed technical discussions on the future relationship between the two bodies.
“It is ridiculous that formal discussions on the future relationship between EASA and the U.K. CAA have been forbidden,” de Juniac said. “This is aviation safety we are talking about — the number one priority for everyone connected with air transport and the top responsibility for governments. We understand the complexity of the political issues at stake. But safety and security should be non-negotiable.”
He added that there has been almost no clarity on customs arrangements and said the most likely scenario, even with a transition period, is for shipments to be delayed or disrupted as new customs procedures become established.
“Interference with the movement of people and goods will have a major and immediate knock-on impact to economic activity in both the U.K. and the EU. Solutions to minimize disruption are of paramount importance. We must have clarity on future border and customs arrangements now if we are to plan for an orderly post-Brexit situation,” de Juniac said.