04 Sep
2019

Contingency legislation extension allays no-deal concerns for flights

UK airlines will still be able to operate flights between the UK and the EU until at least 24 October 2020 after the European Commission extended the deadline in their unilateral contingency legislation, released today. 

Under previous legislation the deadline for this contingency was set for March 2020, but this extension will now allow customers to book their travel arrangements further in advance in the confidence that flight schedules will not be affected. The move follows lobbying by ABTA with key EU destination countries, which promoted the mutual benefits of increasing consumer confidence for next summer’s peak season. 

Commenting on this important development, Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, says, ‘ABTA has been pushing hard for this extension, which is to the mutual benefit of UK customers and the EU, and we are encouraged that the European Commission has responded today by extending the deadline.

‘This legislation was originally passed as a contingency measure in the event of a no-deal scenario, an extension until at least October 2020 will give customers much needed confidence in making their travel plans’. 

ABTA continues to lobby the UK Government, EU officials and destinations governments on issues relating to Brexit that are impacting the travel and tourism industry and will keep its Members up to date with the latest developments and advice for customers.

In the run up to 31 October, ABTA will continue to communicate directly with the travelling public to provide them with the information that they need to know in order to travel with confidence. 

The most up to date advice for customers looking to travel before or after 31 October is available at abta.com/brexit.

Ends

For further information, contact:
Tom Sommerfelt, Senior Media Relations Executive, 020 3117 0531
ABTA press office, press@abta.co.uk or 020 3117 0596

Out of Hours: contact the Duty Press Officer via landline: 020 3693 0183
Web: www.abta.com
Twitter: @ABTAtravel

Notes to editors

ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for over 65 years. Our purpose is to help our Members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence. 
The ABTA brand stands for support, protection and expertise. This means consumers have confidence in ABTA and a strong trust in ABTA Members. These qualities are core to us as they ensure that holidaymakers remain confident in the holiday products that they buy from our Members. 

We help our Members and their customers navigate through today's changing travel landscape by raising standards in the industry; offering schemes of financial protection; providing an independent complaints resolution service should something go wrong; giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety and by presenting a united voice to government to ensure the industry and the public get a fair deal.

ABTA has more than 4,300 travel brands in Membership, providing a wide range of leisure and business travel services, with a combined annual UK turnover of £39 billion. For more details about what we do, what being an ABTA Member means and how we help the British public travel with confidence visit www.abta.com