Shapps ‘risks travel chaos by ruling out emergency visa for aviation workers’

Industry bosses claim that the transport secretary is rejecting calls for an emergency visa for aviation workers to deal with the chaos at airports.

According to sources in the sector, Grant Shapps ruled out filling shortages of ground and air staff by amending the government's shortage occupation list.

The UK's understaffed airports have struggled to cope with a rise in demand during half-term.

British airlines have laid off tens of thousands of employees over the last two years. Since UK Covid travel restrictions were lifted in March, half-term is the industry's first significant test.

The industry is worried that it won't be able to cope with the increased demand in July and August.

The Department for Transport and the aviation industry have formed a group to address travel issues in time for the summer holidays.

Chefs and ballet dancers are entitled to a skilled worker visa even though aviation employees are not.

Ian Costigan is the interim managing director of Manchester airport. We have been encouraged by the level of interest despite the lengthy background checks and training involved.

More than 300 people have been recruited at the airport this year.

Shapps had a meeting with aviation industry bosses. He said that strains on the sector don't excuse poor planning and overbooking flights. He was concerned that airline passengers were being unfairly sold tickets for holidays they couldn't attend.

The transport secretary was accused of being disingenuous by the union, which said that issues with staffing levels have been on the radar for a long time.

Andy Prendergast said that the problem was a foreseeable one. At the time of the mass layoffs, we warned about it.

The aviation industry was not looked at as a special case by the government. Grant Shapps coming out in the last 24 hours is a little bit disingenuous since these problems have been on the radar for a while.

British Airways, easyJet and Tui, all of which have made cancellation, were among those in attendance at Wednesday's meeting with Shapp.

A working group will be formed before the summer holidays to work through issues of shared concern.

377 flights from UK airports were canceled in a seven day period, according to data from the aviation company.

A quarter of the length of a couple of days ago has been shaved off the queue at the airport.

As the four-day bank holiday got under way, half-term travellers were warned to expect trouble on the road.

According to the AA, more than 19 million people are expected to drive over the weekend.

Motorists can expect high levels of congestion during celebrations for the Queen's 70 years on the throne according to a traffic expert.

There will be road closings in the capital from Thursday evening until Friday afternoon because of the royals. Many routes will be closed on Sunday as a result of jubilee street parties.

Customers could expect further disruption after a fatal accident on the tracks in northern France, which was warned on Thursday.

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