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AOA response to First Minister’s announcement on Welsh travel

Responding to the First Minister’s announcement on international travel restarting in Wales from 17 May, Airport Operators Association Chief Executive Karen Dee said:

“It is welcome that Wales will join England and Scotland in restarting international travel, using the same risk-based traffic light approach. This is another important step to ensuring a four-nation approach on restarting aviation.

“Yet despite today’s announcement and Wales’s successful vaccine rollout, a meaningful restart of aviation is a significant way off due to so few countries on the green list.

“It was disappointing to hear the First Minister focus only on holiday travel in his announcement. Aviation is about more than just holidays. It provides the crucial link for the many people in Wales to see friends and families abroad once again and Welsh businesses rely on aviation to reach new and existing customers abroad.

“The Welsh Government must play its part in restoring connectivity by adding countries to the green list as soon as the local health situation allows and by introducing rapid, affordable tests for travellers.”

ENDS