The Brexit wrangling intensified today when the European Union (EU) rejected the UK’s own Brexit plan, which attempted to retain some access to the customs union.
In a speech, president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, reiterated the desire of the EU to retain a close relationship with the UK after Brexit, for security and defence reasons and in seeking to maintain education and cultural links. He also called out the need to ensure flights are not disrupted between the UK and the EU. He said: “I am determined to avoid that particularly absurd consequence of Brexit that is the disruption of flights between the UK and the EU. To do so, we must start discussions on this issue as soon as possible.”
The draft EU guidelines for the post-Brexit relationship confirm that specific air transport and air safety agreements will be needed to safeguard air connectivity between the UK and the EU. This has been welcomed by many in the aviation community as a good first step, but the guidelines do not consider the rights of UK airlines to keep flying within the 27 countries in the EU nor the right of EU country airlines to keep flying within the UK, as a result of the UK leaving the Single Aviation Market.
Trade remains front and centre in the Brexit negotiations and aviation is central to the continuing prosperity of the UK and the EU. Lobbyists are today calling with one voice for the negotiators to seek a future agreement that mirrors the arrangements currently in place.
Meanwhile, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary has threatened to ground his planes to force a new referendum on Brexit claiming that voters had been misled. I’m sure his shareholders will have their own reaction to that particular negotiating tactic!