Will brexit cause travel chaos in the UK?
|According to a survey, a third of UK consumers are concerned about the effect that brexit could have on flights and travel. Many believe that flights could be disrupted on the October 31st deadline, and worried about the impact it could have in the coming years.
Among the most concerned groups were young people. The survey found that those in the 18-24 age group were the most apprehensive about brexit and flight delays or cancellations. 40% of London consumers said they were concerned, also.
The least concerned group were the over 65s. In the survey, only one in five said they were worried about brexit affecting their travel plans. Many said they were continuing to book flights with confidence and weren’t afraid of disruption.
And the UK government has echoed this attitude. It says that the public shouldn’t be afraid of travel disruptions, as flights will be operating as usual for the next year, whatever the outcome of the negotiations might be.
Furthermore, the European Commission has extended legislation that will ensure smooth travel between the UK and the rest of the EU post-brexit. It will mean UK airlines will be able to fly into the EU until October 2020, even in a no-deal scenario.
When you consider that over 160 million passengers fly between the UK and EU annually, this news will be a huge relief for holidaymakers and regular travellers. It also means that airlines can continue to operate as usual in the coming months.
Mark Tanzer, chief executive of Abta, said in a recent statement: ‘This extension will allow customers to book their travel arrangements further in advance in the confidence that there will be no disruption to flight schedules. ‘While there are clearly other serious issues still to be resolved surrounding Brexit, we are encouraged that the European Commission has extended the deadline for this legislation.’