An aviation pressure group is to lobby MPs on improving the UK’s air links by showing how much the economy relies upon the sector.
The Aviation Foundation, which includes British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Heathrow and Manchester Airports Group (MAG), has carried out research showing that three million people work in the tourism industry in the UK while £60 billion worth of goods were exported by air last year.
It also found that 3.7 million people in the UK are employed by foreign-owned companies who depend on good air links to continue trading successfully.
The foundation has launched the Great British Flying Test campaign which is designed to illustrate the importance of aviation to politicians and the communities they represent.
“Local businesses across the UK desperately need world-class air links. Britain has been a proud pioneer in aviation but we are in danger of taking this for granted and falling behind our better-connected competitors,” said the Aviation Foundation in a joint statement from Willie Walsh of BA owner IAG, Heathrow’s Colin Matthews, Charlie Cornish of MAG and Steve Ridgway of Virgin Atlantic.
“We want to see a greater number of politicians championing aviation. Our Great British Flying Test campaign will be showing them how many of their constituents’ jobs depend on aviation and we look forward to discussing the results with them in the run-up to the next election.”
For more details of the campaign, click here