Stakeholder associations representing Europe’s aviation
industry have united to call on the European Union to provide “quick and
targeted support” for the travel industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Groups including Airlines for Europe (A4E), Airports Council
International (ACI) and the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’
Associations (ECTAA) said in a statement that the aviation sector makes a “vital
contribution” to Europe’s overall economy and employment, and that without
support the industry will crumble.
In the wake of global travel restrictions and a general fall
in demand due to the coronavirus outbreak, many European airlines have cut the vast
majority of their scheduled operations, with some, such as Easyjet, completely
grounding their entire fleet of aircraft.
The slow-down in demand has impacted airports, too, with London
City temporarily suspending commercial operations and Heathrow now making the
decision to consolidate flights to a single runway. The UK’s four major ground
handling service providers said last week that they were all on the verge of
collapse unless the government provided more targeted financial relief.
While the aviation associations welcomed initiatives from
the European Commission in areas such as state aid, they said “better
coordinated and proactive actions” are needed to ensure companies across the
value chain can survive the crisis.
The joint statement said: “The European institutions must take
all the necessary measure to ensure the short-term financial viability of the
travel industry enterprises with the objective of maintaining a functioning
travel industry, protecting employees and consumers alike, and help them to efficiently
restore air connectivity and support the re-growth of European economies.
“Europe’s citizens, communities and visitors will see its
vibrance restored more rapidly if the air transport sector can quickly recover,
once the Covid-19 health crisis has passed. No small part of this depends on
governments providing firm supportive measures today.”
Other organisations to support the call for action include
the Airline Catering Association, the Airport Services Association, the
European Regions Airline Association, the European Travel Retail Confederation
(ETRC) and EU Travel Tech.