The UK government has announced that a reformed Global Travel Taskforce will look at how to reopen international travel from England, with its recommendations due by 12 April and travel not resuming before 17 May “at the earliest”.

The government also hopes that a “four nations” approach can be adopted to resume air travel throughout the UK – a move that Balpa said it “strongly supports” and the union has written to the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish administrations to make this case.

Brian Strutton, Balpa’s general secretary, added: “It is vital that we find a way to safely reopen air travel. We know there is huge pent-up demand from the public to get flying again.

“We know that the UK’s vaccine roll-out, combined with airlines’ Covid safety measures and potentially other elements such as vaccine ‘passports’ could pave the way to summer holidays abroad.

“I urge ministers in the Westminster, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments to work together so there is a unified four-nations approach to reopening travel so that the whole of the UK can benefit from the restarting of this vital industry.”