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Airport Operators Association response to CBI report on aviation connectivity
The Airport Operators Association (AOA), the trade body which represents UK airports, has responded to a report published today by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) which concludes that adding just one additional daily flight to each of the eight largest high-growth markets in the world would increase UK trade by as much as £1billion a year
Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Airport Operators Association (AOA), said: “The Airport Operators Association has said repeatedly to Government that aviation connectivity plays a vital role in increasing the UK’s trade links with the world’s emerging economies, securing jobs and growth not just in aviation but in the wider economy in the process. We simply cannot afford to fall behind our international rivals, who are busy adding their air routes to high-growth regions and reaping the benefits in terms of access to both existing and emerging markets.
“This report by the CBI highlights the critical relationship between air links and trade flows and concludes that they fuel each other’s growth. We hope and expect that the Government’s forthcoming Aviation Policy Framework and Sir Howard Davies’ Airports Commission, which we support, will take on board this message as they go about considering UK aviation’s point-to-point and hub capacity needs over the next two years”.
For further information please contact Tim Alderslade on 0207 340 0992 or timalderslade@aoa.org.uk.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- In October 2012, the Airport Operators Association produced ‘An Integrated Policy Framework for UK Aviation: Connecting the Economy for Jobs and Growth’, in which it argues that lack of air connectivity means lost growth – see AOA An Integrated Framework for UK Aviation Report, in particular pages 14-15.
- The Department for Transport will publish its Aviation Policy Framework by the end of March 2013 – for more information, see https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/aviation-policy-framework
- Sir Howard Davies will publish his independent Airports Commission Interim Report by the end of 2013 and Full Report in Summer 2015 – for more information, see https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/membership-and-terms-of-reference-of-the-airports-commission
The Airport Operators Association: The AOA is the trade association that represents UK airports. Its mission is to see UK airports grow sustainably. It represents the views of UK airports to Government, Parliament and Regulators to secure policy outcomes that help deliver our mission. The AOA represents some 70 UK airports and general aviation airfields in the UK. For more information, please visit www.aoa.org.uk.
