The British Air Transport Association (Bata) has slammed the government for its failure to develop an aviation policy.
Bata chief executive Simon Buck said: “We are only at the first stage of having any sort of aviation policy for Britain. We can ill afford indecision when the UK is suffering arguably its worst-ever economic recession.”
The association represents UK charter and scheduled carriers, including Thomson Airways, Thomas Cook Airlines and Monarch as well as British Airways and easyJet. Buck spoke out on the final day for submitting responses to a consultation on the government’s Sustainable Policy Framework for Aviation scoping document.
He said: “We need decisions not further consultation. The government is putting at risk Britain’s ability to win business with emerging economies because we do not have the air services we need.
“Successive governments have been consulting on the future of aviation and new runway capacity for decades. We need a government to grasp the nettle if we are not to damage our economic prospects permanently.”
Buck added: “I urge the new secretary of state to recognise that further procrastination will cost Britain dearly in lost business and jobs.”
Justine Greening took over as transport secretary this week after Philip Hammond moved to the Ministry of Defence to replace the disgraced Liam Fox. Greening was previously a secretary to the Treasury, working on reform of Air Passenger Duty.
Her appointment was welcomed by Abta, but seen as a rebuff to the industry and its concerns about the direction of government policy. Greening led opposition in parliament to a third runway at Heathrow.
The Department for Transport has said it will publish an aviation strategy document in 2013.