Save Our Summer: British pilots call on politicians to rescue travel industry

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - British pilots on Wednesday
urged politicians to save the summer holiday season through
clearer travel guidance and provide direct financial support to
rescue jobs as the industry grapples with an existential crisis
brought on by COVID restrictions.

England is re-opening from a third national COVID-19
lockdown but the travel sector is essentially closed for
business, with the government advising against travel for all
bar a small handful of destinations.

British government ministers are examining ways to re-open
travel more broadly, and are considering plans to ditch
quarantine requirements for vaccinated adults and their children
to some destinations.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that whatever
happens, it will be a difficult year for travel.

"The government has to decide if this summer it will make or
break the UK travel industry," said? Brian Strutton, acting
General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association
(BALPA).

"Pilots are meeting politicians across the UK today to urge
them to put pressure on the government to act now? and ?save not
only the summer but the future of UK aviation and travel.??"

BALPA said that a more transparent and open system to make
restrictions more proportionate and re-open larger scale travel
to the United States and Europe.

Under the current "traffic light" system, only travellers to
a small number of green-list countries can avoid quarantine.

Popular European holiday destinations for Britons, including
Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece, are currently rated
"amber" and require returning passengers to take three expensive
COVID-19 tests and isolate for 10 days on return.

BALPA urged the government to expand the green list when the
system is reviewed on June 28.

Strutton also said that direct state support to airlines and
airports would help save jobs and companies as they head into
the European winter, traditionally the off-peak travel season
for Britons.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)