Tanzer said it was unfair to lay the blame at travel’s door, criticising the "lack of recognition" that it was only in March travel got the go-ahead to restart in earnest, as well as government’s failure to heed travel’s warnings that a recovery would be delayed without proper sector-specific support.

He added the association had been in direct touch with the government to "share its dismay" about some of the remarks made by ministers this week.

The issue came to a head on Wednesday (1 June) as millions sought to get away for the long Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend, the first major getaway since the UK’s travel restrictions were eased in March.

Airlines and airports, in particular, have struggled to staff up sufficiently after being forced to make sweeping redundancies during the pandemic; both Birmingham airport and Virgin Atlantic have publicly revealed they effectively had to halve their pre-pandemic workforces due to Covid.

Tanzer said his and Abta’s ire came off the back of comments made by transport secretary Grant Shapps on Wednesday, who accused airlines and operators of "seriously overselling flights and holidays" at a time when the industry doesn’t have the staffing capacity to deliver some of these trips.

Abta and other industry bodies, including Airlines UK, the AOA and Iata, have said there have been particular problems around recruiting for airport and aviation roles where lengthy security clearance is required.
Shapps pledged in April to reduce the bureaucracy by allowing new recruits to start their training before they receive clearance.

‘We warned you’

"The return of international travel after two years of heavy government restrictions on the industry, and minimal levels of financial support, was never going to happen without challenge," said Tanzer. "While the vast majority of people have been able to get away on holiday this week, it is of course disappointing for those who have been caught up in delays or who have seen their travel plans cancelled.

“The comments from the government this week are deeply frustrating and do not correlate with the events of the last two years. Abta, along with the rest of the industry, warned the government time and time again that thousands of jobs would be lost, and the industry’s recovery would be delayed if the government did not provide sector-specific support for the travel industry.

"The lack of recognition from government that it was only March this year when all UK travel restrictions had been lifted, despite furlough being reduced from July 2021 and then removed altogether in September, is particularly disappointing."

Tanzer added: “We have been in touch directly with the government to share our dismay with ministerial comments this week, and to urge officials to look at how red tape in the recruitment process can be reduced to help the sector.

"It is welcome the transport secretary has committed to engagement with the industry and it is vitally important that any conversations involve the wider travel industry alongside airports and airlines.”