Airlines hit back at travel chaos, say Shapps has ‘little’ understanding Business

Mr Heapy told trade publication Travel Weekly: ‘Government ministers need to realize that due to the pandemic and the measures that have been taken, they have made the travel industry unattractive to work in. It was the first industry to go into lockdown and the last industry to come out. It is because of these actions that he no longer has the appeal he once had.

“I think this is a problem that the government needs to get involved in solving. It’s got to help the industry get back on its feet and improve the perception because a lot of people left the industry and didn’t come back.

“We got some support during the pandemic, but not as much as the industry asked for. The government should work with us to help the industry recover by giving us assurances that we will not return to lockdown. »

Jonathan Hinkles, chief executive of regional airline Loganair, attacked earlier remarks by Lord Robertson who criticized aviation executives for hours-long queues that snake out of terminals and hundreds of canceled flights.

“Six months ago we were still in the throes of Omicron travel restrictions and a terrible winter for the entire aviation industry, not least because furlough support ended two months prior. Many companies could not, in good faith, recruit team members without knowing for sure that the jobs of those they had could be saved.

“The problems we have as an industry require a concerted and collective effort by airlines, airports and government to solve them.”