Scottish holidaymakers may suffer as air routes face axe

Scotland risks "falling behind" other countries in the return of airline services and holidaymakers may have to travel south for their summer getaway next year, the opposition has warned.

The scenario could have a "devastating" impact on the country's beleaguered tourism industry as it seeks to bounce from the impact of Covid lockdowns.

There are now calls for urgent action to implement greater airport testing and provide more certainty over vaccination roll-out amid growing concerns that Scotland could lose out on air routes in 2021.

The aviation industry has suffered during the pandemic

The Scottish Government has already pledged to look at "immediate support measures" for aviation.

Industry leaders fear that a lack of aircraft manufacturing over the pandemic, along with leases running out on current fleets, could compound an already fragile environment for aviation after thousands of job losses.

Labour transport spokesman Colin Smyth said: "Airline companies will target their smaller fleets at destinations and countries they see as open for business soon.

"Sadly, the failure of the SNP Government to implement airport testing and uncertainty over the scale of the roll-out of vaccines means Scotland risks falling beyond other countries.

“Without planning now, Scots families preparing for their first holidays after the pandemic could find they have to travel south of the Border to fly abroad.

Crucially, significantly fewer flights to Scotland come the summer would have a devastating effect on our tourism sector, which is already on its knees from the impact of Covid restrictions.

"The SNP has passed up multiple opportunities to ensure the sector has a sustainable future. It's time that ministers woke up to the threat facing Scotland's airports and Scotland's civil aviation jobs."

Thousands of jobs have already been lost at airports around the country as a result of a dramatic reduction in flights as a result of the pandemic.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We do not underestimate the impact COVID-19 has had on the aviation industry, and we know how important the sector is to our economy and the challenges that are ahead in helping it to recover.

"As part of our business support package, which now exceeds £2.3 billion, we have provided business rates relief for aviation, airports and ground-handling providers.

“Our decisions on testing and quarantine throughout this pandemic have been informed by clinical and scientific advice to minimise the risk to public health – we are not yet satisfied that moving from quarantine to testing would provide enough protection. People in the early stages of incubation of the virus could test negative and go on to develop the virus and spread it.

“We continue to engage with airport representatives on how testing at airports could work and to assess and understand the impact on public health. We are also working with Scottish airports to help them rebuild connectivity for business and tourism and win back routes that have been suspended – we will do all we can to help airports return to growth.

The International Air Transport Association predict that airline carrying capacity across Europe in 2021 will be 51 per cent of that in 2019.

A report earlier this year from the GMB union found thousands of workers are being sacked at airports nationwide due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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