About 20,000 employees of airports across the United Kingdom may lose their jobs due to reduced air traffic amid the coronavirus pandemic, the UK Airport Operators Association (AOA) said on Wednesday
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th June, 2020) About 20,000 employees of airports across the United Kingdom may lose their jobs due to reduced air traffic amid the coronavirus pandemic, the UK Airport Operators Association (AOA) said on Wednesday.
"AOA analysis of its member airports suggests that up to 20,000 jobs are now at risk at airport operators, as the full effects of the pandemic on the global airline community begin to be felt. Future airline scheduling and passenger numbers are forecasted to be significantly lower year-on-year," the AOA said in a press release.
According to the AOA, since airports operators directly employ a small proportion of airport staff and many other jobs are supported by activity linked to UK airports, the total potential job losses may exceed 110,000.
Within the context, the association called on the UK government to take robust action to support the country's aviation sector hit by the pandemic. In particular, the AOA proposed to suspend Air Passenger Duty for at least six months, review and repeal the current quarantine policy, and fund the aviation sector's regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, for the 2020-2021 charging period, among other measures.
