Covid-hit UK aviation industry held back by Brexit red tape

UK aviation is struggling to cope with the burden of new red tape thrown up by Brexit, compounding problems for an industry that has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Charter and freight airlines have complained of receiving little support from the government after their businesses have been badly hit by the new need to apply for permits when flying into a EU country. Pilots have also said their licences were “seriously degraded in value” since the latest trading relationship began in January. Jonathan Hinkles, CE of Scottish airline Loganair, argued the Brexit deal had been “atrocious” for UK aviation. “It gets worse the more you see of it really.” Since January 1, carriers running non-scheduled flights have to apply to an individual EU member state for a permit when they want to land there, a process which can often take days. The new requirements do not affect major airlines which fly pre-planned schedules. Instead, they have hit a network of smaller carriers, including Loganair. Many of these businesses rely on flying at short notice on routes that hop between several countries, such as to move manufacturing parts for supply chains. Several airlines said they have lost a significant amount of business while waiting for a permit, and claimed their EU rivals often do not have to wait as long for permits from UK authorities. Ministers are working to secure agreements with EU countries for seasonal passes for ad hoc flights and additional flying rights for cargo journeys, but the industry has been left disappointed with their progress. UK carriers met the aviation minister Robert Courts in late April to lobby for new agreements to help smooth the process, but say they have not yet heard back from the government. Story has more.<br/>