Department For Transport Says Air Travel Disruptions Are Possible

The U.K. government has published a series of technical notices which set out plans to be put into place should the U.K. leave the EU without a deal, a scenario which the government sees as "unlikely".

The Department for Transport (DfT) has published 6 documents. This information demonstrates the potential impact a no deal scenario will have on areas of transport policy, including the haulage industry and those driving in and flying to and from Europe.

The government remains confident of a deep and special partnership with the EU following exit and a mutually advantageous deal with the EU continues to be the most likely outcome. But the DfT is making the sensible step of putting in place contingency measures to ensure holidaymakers and businesses can continue to travel and export after Brexit.

U.K. citizens planning a trip to Europe in the short term do not need to take immediate action. The government will set out clearly and in good time what additional steps may be required.

For business, a more proactive approach will be necessary to ensure new procedures are in place for March 2019 and details are given in the notices.

As it relates to air travel, the government recommends that the aviation industry should review potential implications for supply chains and staff with specialist qualifications.

According to the document focusing on air travel, as an EU country, the U.K. is part of the internal market for air services. This means that any airline licensed by an EU country, and therefore adhering to common regulations, is entitled to operate any route within the EU without the advance permission of individual national authorities. These entitlements also extend to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through their membership of the European Economic Area (EEA).

The rights for airlines to operate air services over EU or U.K. territory are established by a longstanding worldwide treaty, the International Air Services Transit Agreement, to which the U.K. and almost all EU countries are signatories. This agreement also establishes the right to land for ‘non-traffic’ purposes such as refuelling or maintenance.

If the U.K. leaves the EU in March 2019 with no agreement in place, U.K. and EU licensed airlines would lose the automatic right to operate air services between the U.K. and the EU without seeking advance permission. This would mean that airlines operating between the U.K. and the EU would need to seek individual permissions to operate. EU-licensed airlines would lose the ability to operate wholly within the U.K. (for example from Heathrow to Edinburgh) and U.K.-licensed airlines would lose the ability to operate intra-EU air services (for example from Milan to Paris).

These notices are in addition to the ongoing active engagement we continue to have with stakeholders across transport to discuss impacts and opportunities from EU Exit. These discussions will continue.

Throughout the whole of the Brexit process, the government’s aim has been to ensure that all travel – whether business or personal – remains as friction-free as possible after the U.K. leaves the EU. It is the government's intention to recognize EU standards of security and safety and expect its European partners to do the same.

(Source: U.K. Department for Transport. Image from file)

FMI: Air travel notice