Airport bosses slam SNP transport minister for REFUSING to meet them despite ...

Airport bosses slam SNP transport minister for REFUSING to meet them despite ...
Airport bosses slam SNP transport minister for REFUSING to meet them despite ...

Airport bosses accused politicians of failing to engage with the industry around the impact of the Omicron variant and the changes to travel restrictions.

Transport minister Graeme Dey said he will not meet with Edinburgh and Glasgow airports until December 15, despite the changing situation with the pandemic.

Mr Dey has been criticised by Edinburgh Airport for failing to find time in his diary to speak to officials about the response to the Omicron variant.

Edinburgh bosses said the business understood the need for restrictions, but claimed the industry was an 'afterthought'.

It was echoed by AGS Airports, which owns both Glasgow and Aberdeen airport. 

Transport minister Graeme Dey said he will not meet with Edinburgh and Glasgow airports until December 15, despite the changing situation with the pandemic

Transport minister Graeme Dey said he will not meet with Edinburgh and Glasgow airports until December 15, despite the changing situation with the pandemic

Mr Dey has been criticised by Edinburgh Airport for failing to find time in his diary to speak to officials about the response to the Omicron variant. Pictured: Glasgow Airport last year

Mr Dey has been criticised by Edinburgh Airport for failing to find time in his diary to speak to officials about the response to the Omicron variant. Pictured: Glasgow Airport last year

They said the response from the Scottish Government was in 'stark contrast' with the UK Government, with aviation minister Robert Courts meeting the industry earlier this week.

But no Scottish Government minister was available to speak to the aviation industry at the Scottish Government's own Aviation Working Group's meeting on Thursday.

The spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: 'We understand the need for restrictions to allow scientists to get ahead of a new variant, but one of the main things we've asked for throughout is proactive engagement from government to allow us to plan and respond accordingly.

'Despite many public and private pleas and requests, we continue to be an afterthought, despite decision making that directly impacts our industry.

'In the week that decisions were made and the Scottish Government called for tighter restrictions, the fact not one Cabinet secretary or minister is prepared to meet with the industry is galling and is in stark contrast to the proactive engagement from the UK Government.

'To offer a meeting on December 16 is extremely poor, especially when the transport minister is due to be at Edinburgh Airport for the launch of a new flight next Wednesday.

'It seems good news is engagement worthy, but difficult and negative news is to be ignored.'

Edinburgh bosses said the business understood the need for restrictions, but claimed the industry was an 'afterthought'. It was echoed by AGS Airports, which owns both Glasgow (pictured last year) and Aberdeen airport

Edinburgh bosses said the business understood the need for restrictions, but claimed the industry was an 'afterthought'. It was echoed by AGS Airports, which owns both Glasgow (pictured last year) and Aberdeen airport

The spokesman for AGS Airports said it was 'alarming' Scottish Government ministers were not willing to make the time to meet with the industry as part of the working group.

He said: 'We have consistently called for meaningful engagement throughout the entire pandemic and at every point it has been lacking.

'The new travel restrictions are hugely damaging for our already fragile industry and while we don't expect government to involve us in their decision making, we do expect advance notice of an announcement that has such serious implications for aviation and the jobs that rely on it.'

The position of the government was also criticised by Scottish Labour, who said the two-week wait for a meeting was 'astonishing'.

The position of the government was also criticised by Scottish Labour, who said the two-week wait for a meeting was 'astonishing'. Pictured: Edinburgh airport earlier this year

The position of the government was also criticised by Scottish Labour, who said the two-week wait for a meeting was 'astonishing'. Pictured: Edinburgh airport earlier this year

Party transport spokesperson, Neil Bibby, said: 'It is astonishing that the aviation industry are being left waiting weeks for a chance to question ministers on decisions that could devastate them and their workforce.

'The First Minister needs to end the political posturing, engage fully with the industry and focus on how to protect lives and livelihoods.'

A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Recently introduced international travel restrictions were swiftly brought in on a four-nation basis to protect public health while scientific analysis of the Omicron variant continues.

'We have always been clear that travel is not risk-free during the pandemic and rules can change at short notice.

'Public health will remain our key priority, but there has been regular engagement with the aviation sector over the last 18 months, with regular meetings between the Scottish Government and the industry in order to listen to and act on the sector's concerns.'

Grant Shapps rules out pre-departure Covid tests for UK arrivals as he warns the checks could 'kill off the travel sector again' and says vaccine passports are now 'the norm' for international travel Labour has urged the Government to introduce pre-departure Covid testing But Grant Shapps suggested the move would 'kill off the travel sector again' Transport Secretary said the Government's response to Omicron is 'calibrated' 

Grant Shapps has rejected calls from Labour and Government scientific experts to introduce pre-departure coronavirus testing for all UK arrivals. 

The Transport Secretary said ministers do not want to unnecessarily 'kill off the travel sector again'. 

He insisted the Government has brought forward a 'calibrated response' to the new Omicron Covid variant 'which doesn't take us right back to the beginning of this'. 

Mr Shapps also said he believes vaccine passports will be 'the norm' for international travel for the foreseeable future. 

Grant Shapps has rejected calls from Labour and Government scientific experts to introduce pre-departure coronavirus testing for all UK arrivals

Grant Shapps has rejected calls from Labour and Government scientific experts to introduce pre-departure coronavirus testing for all UK arrivals

The Transport Secretary said ministers do not want to unnecessarily 'kill off the travel sector again'

The Transport Secretary said ministers do not want to unnecessarily 'kill off the travel sector again'

The Government has introduced a requirement for all UK arrivals to take a PCR test on or before the second day following their arrival in the country. Travellers must self-isolate until they test negative. 

But Boris Johnson is under pressure to further tighten the testing requirements to better protect against importing cases of Omicron. 

Leaked papers from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) suggested testing people for Covid before they travel to the UK would be 'valuable'. 

The documents, seen by the BBC, also said the Government's current policy of testing people within two days of arrival in the country would identify 'significantly fewer cases' than having additional tests on days five or eight. 

The advice was contained in minutes of a meeting of the scientists on Monday and has been seized on by Labour, which has called for pre-departure tests for everyone coming to the UK.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said it was 'totally unacceptable that ministers are failing to take action at the border when even their own advisers are telling them to introduce pre-departure tests'.

But Mr Shapps rejected the call for pre-departure tests when he was asked about the issue during an interview on The Telegraph's Chopper's Politics podcast. 

The Transport Secretary said: 'Lots of countries do require if you are going to them for pre-testing. We are not requiring that at the moment.

'I heard the Leader of the Opposition calling for that from the despatch box at Prime Minister's Questions this week.

'Do you want to kill off the travel sector again, without knowing that you need to? Or do you want to take the right level of calibrated response?

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured second right) said it was 'totally unacceptable that ministers are failing to take action at the border when even their own advisers are telling them to introduce pre-departure tests'

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured second right) said it was 'totally unacceptable that ministers are failing to take action at the border when even their own advisers are telling them to introduce pre-departure tests'

'And this Government thinks we should take a calibrated response which doesn't take us right back to the beginning of this.'

The Government has pledged to review the curbs it has introduced to slow the spread of Omicron after three weeks. 

Mr Shapps was also asked if unvaccinated people are likely to find life increasingly difficult because of

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