The call has been led by MP for Crawley Henry Smith, chair of the all-party parliamentary group for the future of aviation, who said extending furlough beyond September to March 2022 would prevent "significant job losses".
Citing figures from the Office for National Statistics, the group claims 57% of passenger air transport employees remain on furlough, alongside 51% of their travel sector colleagues working in agencies and at tour operators.
The group, which features former ministers Esther McVey, Steve Baker, Tobias Ellwood and chair of the foreign affairs select committee Tom Tugendhat, has written to chancellor Rishi Sunak urging him to act.
Starting this month, the furlough scheme has been tapered, with employers having to cover an additional 10% of furloughed employees wages, rising to 20% in August and September before the scheme ends.
"With aviation, travel and tourism still subject to the most restrictive international travel restrictions in Europe, the removal of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme [furlough] would come as a devastating blow to an industry that has borne the brunt of the pandemic," said Smith.
"They were the first industry to be hit by the consequences of Covid-19 and will most likely be the last to recover and without continuing employment support it is inevitable that we will see significant job losses that will only further delay our ability to bounce back and rebuild our economy.
"The recovery of our aviation, travel and tourism industry is being held back by the UK’s approach to international travel and as such they have an obligation to and must protect these jobs until restrictions are removed or risk the significant damage that the removal of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will cause.
"The chancellor deserves credit for protecting jobs during the pandemic, but that protection remains needed and furlough must be kept for the aviation, travel and tourism industries."
The full letter reads:
