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Press Releases - 2012

Air tax "beyond the tipping point" says BAR UK

05 December 2012 - The Chancellor’s decision to proceed with a further increase on the world’s highest air tax has been labelled “unsurprising and self destructive” by the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK), which represents over 80 airlines.

Dale Keller, chief executive, said “The pre-Budget levels of APD could not be justified and the latest increase takes us dangerously beyond the tipping point where the impact can only be negative to the economy. The decision comes as unsurprising from a government that is not listening to the wider industry, or international opinion, and is self destructive to its own objectives of attracting foreign investment and tourism”.

“BAR UK is calling on the Government to urgently conduct a review into the economic impact of APD, which we are certain would confirm that a radical review is required to achieve a fair, proportionate and internationally competitive tax before the UK loses more ground to competitors.”

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BAR UK ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

19 October 2012 - The Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) has appointed Dale Keller as Chief Executive.

Chair of BAR UK, Sandra Bloodworth, announced to a General Meeting of the organisation this morning in London that Keller would take on the role of Chief Executive, following the retirement of Mike Carrivick on 9 November 2012. 

Keller is known to the members and the industry through his past airline management roles with Air Mauritius and Air Malta, and previously held the position of BAR UK board member representing the African region. Immediately preceding the appointment he provided PR consultancy to BAR UK through KTA Public Relations and therefore has a good insight as to where the future challenges lay.   His aviation, travel and tourism career spans 25 years in the UK and his native New Zealand.

Sandra Bloodworth stated

“On behalf of the Board we are delighted to welcome Dale as Chief Executive and we look forward to drawing upon his extensive aviation experience.  There has, arguably, never been a more crucial time for aviation in the UK and BAR UK plays a vital role in communicating the widest collective voice of the industry. Dale will be working closely with Mike until his retirement to ensure a smooth handover”.

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BAR UK WELCOMES FORWARD THINKING AVIATION REPORT

05 October 2012 – The far reaching aviation proposals from the Policy Exchange demonstrate the type of radical thinking that can be applied to provide solutions to the aviation policy debacle.

Mike Carrivick, BAR UK Chief Executive, said

“They appear to offer far more of a clean sheet approach than we have seen from other quarters and that is to be welcomed. The Government should certainly include these proposals as part of the independent Davies Commission report.”

“Whilst many aspects may not prove to be practical, the fresh thinking is a tonic to the ‘do nothing’ approach of the Government. The report addresses the urgent need for additional hub airport capacity to avoid stagnation of a vital industry at a critical time, and which is costing the UK jobs.”

The report can be viewed at the Policy Exchange website.

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BAR UK WELCOMES INDEPENDENT COMMISSION INTO AIRPORT CAPACITY

06 Sep 2012 - BAR UK welcomes reports of an independent commission into airport capacity, to be chaired by Sir Howard Davies. The commission should provide a real platform for consensus on how to take aviation policy forward in a positive manner.

Mike Carrivick, BAR UK Chief Executive, said

"An independent commission provides an open platform to examine all options, so that the bold steps required in the future will be backed up by the evidence that has been gathered.

''After the delays incurred in recent years, aviation policy development needs a firm way forward and this commission should offer it.

''Consensus is required. BAR UK and its member airlines look forward to contributing whatever evidence is asked of us to achieve that objective."

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BAR UK WELCOMES CHANGE AT DFT

04 Sep 2012 - BAR UK welcomes the appointment of Mr Patrick McLoughlin as Secretary of State for Transport.

This appointment will provide the necessary momentum required to move the development of key aviation policy away from the delays of the last few years and into an era of clarity and development that will invigorate the economy for years to come.

Mike Carrivick, BAR UK Chief Executive, said

"The UK's economy has been hampered by the total lack of policy clarity for hub airport capacity, embracing global connectivity to existing and new markets, and the infrastructure to support it. The challenge facing Mr McLoughlin is to provide that missing clarity.

'In headline terms, that means being open to all options and providing firm timelines by which policies will be published. Only then can longer-­‐term investment and business commitments be made.

'As an organisation that represents over 80 airlines, we look forward to working with Mr McLoughlin and his team in their policy development."

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BAR UK WELCOMES INDEPENDENT COMMISSION INTO AIRPORT CAPACITY

06 Sep 2012 - BAR UK welcomes reports of an independent commission into airport capacity, to be chaired by Sir Howard Davies. The commission should provide a real platform for consensus on how to take aviation policy forward in a positive manner.

Mike Carrivick, BAR UK Chief Executive, said

"An independent commission provides an open platform to examine all options, so that the bold steps required in the future will be backed up by the evidence that has been gathered.

''After the delays incurred in recent years, aviation policy development needs a firm way forward and this commission should offer it.

''Consensus is required. BAR UK and its member airlines look forward to contributing whatever evidence is asked of us to achieve that objective."

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BAR UK WELCOMES CHANGE AT DFT

04 Sep 2012 - BAR UK welcomes the appointment of Mr Patrick McLoughlin as Secretary of State for Transport.

This appointment will provide the necessary momentum required to move the development of key aviation policy away from the delays of the last few years and into an era of clarity and development that will invigorate the economy for years to come.

Mike Carrivick, BAR UK Chief Executive, said

"The UK's economy has been hampered by the total lack of policy clarity for hub airport capacity, embracing global connectivity to existing and new markets, and the infrastructure to support it. The challenge facing Mr McLoughlin is to provide that missing clarity.

'In headline terms, that means being open to all options and providing firm timelines by which policies will be published. Only then can longer-­‐term investment and business commitments be made.

'As an organisation that represents over 80 airlines, we look forward to working with Mr McLoughlin and his team in their policy development."

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FURTHER AVIATION POLICY DELAYS WILL IMPACT ECONOMIC RECOVERY

11 July 2012

Airlines are dismayed that the Government's announcement, following the consultation on UK hub airport capacity, is reported to be delayed yet again and claim it will be a further setback to the UK's economic recovery.

The consultation, originally scheduled for March, was delayed with the expectation of being published before the Parliamentary recess started on 17 July.

BAR UK Chief Executive, Mike Carrivick, said

"Delaying important decisions until later in the year demonstrates a lack of courage and the paralysis afflicting strategic policy making within the Government. Whilst this Government struggles internally to establish a clear and defined hub airport policy for the future, competing nations will continue to take away the trade and commerce that should be welcomed in this country.

"The message from exporters and importers is clear. They need the best connectivity and frequency for commerce to expand and also require clarity for the future so that they can plan for their own businesses. Many of our member airlines wish to expand their UK services to meet the market needs but the lack of policy is driving them to other countries.

"Subject to understandable environmental issues, the industry is asking to be allowed to fund its own infrastructure of national importance and without public funds.

"BAR UK calls on the Government to act decisively sooner rather than later and warns that continued prevarication is damaging to business and employment prospects."

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BAR UK CHIEF EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

18 April 2012

Mike Carrivick, chief executive of the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) has today announced his planned retirement at a general meeting of the organisation which represents over 80 airlines.

Carrivick, who will retire at the end of October, commenced his aviation career in 1965 on a general apprenticeship with British European Airways. A 20 year progression with Qantas Airways was followed by roles with Brymon European Airways, Maersk DFDS Travel and IATA. He joined BAR UK in 2004 where he has since led the organisation through a challenging period for the aviation industry and come into contact with a large number of government ministers, departments and industry stakeholders.

BAR UK chairwoman, Sandra Bloodworth, said;

“Mike has been a real asset to the airline community in the UK and has represented our views with a great deal of passion and enthusiasm. We are grateful for his contribution in helping to bring the industry together and ensuring that important issues are made known and dealt with. On behalf of all our airline members, we wish Mike a happy and fulfilling retirement.”

Commenting on his retirement, Carrivick said;

"The role at BAR UK has been the most diverse of my career, with many challenges and achievements along the way. It has been a huge pleasure to serve and I wish to express my thanks to the board and all members, past and present, and a great number of industry, governmental and media friends who have provided so much support. I will miss the contact with them all and wish the airline industry the recognition and success it deserves.”

BAR UK will soon commence search for a new chief executive.

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UK BORDER QUEUES A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT

12 April 2012

The latest forecast by the Immigration Services Union that passport queues to enter the UK could regularly extend to three or four hours would be a national embarrassment and strike a serious blow to the UK economy.

According to the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK), the Border Force needs access to improved processes and better use of available information if the UK is to avoid visitors choosing to take their business elsewhere.

The organisation, representing over 80 airlines, states the need to ensure full border checks can be managed against the steady growth of air travel. Reliance on traditional manual systems will simply lead to longer queues and the need to build ever-larger immigration halls. That is not the way forward.

Mike Carrivick, chief executive of BAR UK said

"The efforts of the Border Force to handle peak periods such as bank holidays and the Olympics are well-recognised but cannot be sustained without necessary changes. The airline community already cooperates by providing advance access to the passport data of approximately 90 million travellers each year, all of whom can be checked against a watch list to identify those who pose a threat or who should not be in the UK."

Carrivick added

"Allied to that, airlines would also like to see an increase in the number of smart gates, that permit automated entry through the use of chip-enabled passports, and the re-introduction of smartzones. Collectively, huge improvements can be made to the queues to enter the UK without compromising the Government's need for full border controls.

"We call upon the Government to speed up entry into the UK by investing now in the technology and systems which will allow far more efficient use of available information and resources, without compromising on security."

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DELAY ON UK AVIATION POLICY MAY HELP THE INDUSTRY

22 March 2012

Despite the fact that a new aviation policy is long overdue, today’s advice by the DfT that the forthcoming consultations on airport capacity have been delayed, until late summer, has been tentatively welcomed by the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK).

BAR UK states that the Coalition Government's decision to ban any new runways at major South East airports has placed it in a corner. Hopefully, the delay indicates a strong sign that the Government, intent on economic recovery, realises that its current dead-end policy must be reviewed.

Commenting on the delay, Mike Carrivick, chief executive of BAR UK said

“It is rare that delays to policy-making are welcomed but in this instance it provides a great opportunity for the Government to critically appraise the negative effects of its runways ban and, without too much further delay, arrive at positive proposals for the medium and longer terms.

“Right now, the lack of hub airport capacity is limiting access to several emerging markets and impacting the economic recovery of the UK. Waiting twenty years before a new airport site becomes operational is a non-starter.

“Proposals to develop a new hub airport site in the longer term must be open to considering a range of options, rather than sleepwalk into opting for a site in the Thames Estuary. The estuary proposals have certainly invigorated the debate but all sites, not least the Thames Estuary, will present significant challenges and require critical assessment before any new hub-airport policy is developed.

“The need to provide firm timescales on policy-making should not be overlooked by the Government, however, BAR UK, representing over 80 leading airlines, looks forward to objectively contributing to the vital discussions ahead.”

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AIR TAX STRANGLING ECONOMIC GROWTH

21 March 2012

The Chancellor’s decision to push ahead with the double inflation increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD) in today’s budget has been branded as a reckless brake on the economy by the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK).

The organisation, representing over 80 airlines, is critical that widespread opposition to the exorbitant increases is being ignored by the Chancellor, citing that his Treasury continues to treat air travellers as an easy target.

Mike Carrivick, chief executive of BAR UK said

“The number one priority is economic growth. A policy of disproportionately high air travel taxation and a failed aviation policy, provide two glaring examples of how the Government’s aim for economic recovery is being damaged by its own doing. It is a day-dream to assume that air travellers will continue to pay increased air taxes without shrinking the market. Hitting families and businesses with ever-increasing APD rates and restricting much needed capacity increases at key airports is a recipe for failure.”

Mr Carrivick added

“To make matters worse, residents and visitors to UK are all affected by yet another aviation tax, under the guise of the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). By the time the Chancellor wakes up to the fact that visitor numbers are dropping, other countries will have already benefitted at the expense of the UK.

“We call on the Chancellor to abandon the April APD increase and to reduce the previous rates by the amount of additional income received from the EU ETS.”

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BAR UK WELCOMES HUB AIRPORT DEBATE

19 January 2012

The Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) welcomes the Government’s announcement of its renewed interest in the UK hub airport debate.

The Department for Transport’s (DfT) forthcoming consultation for a sustainable aviation policy must acknowledge that current airport capacity constraints are hindering the growth of the UK economy.

BAR UK has identified two key issues that require immediate resolution.  Firstly, if Heathrow is not selected as the UK’s hub airport, then the proposal for a Thames Estuary Airport is only one of a  number of options that must be fully investigated.  The potentially adverse economic impact on London and the Thames Corridor, should an estuary airport be decided upon, must also be addressed.

Secondly, a prompt solution to the ongoing issue of increasing traffic demands on current London airports needs to be implemented.  A resolution needs to be found to alleviate the burden these airports face in the interim, before a hub airport is found to replace Heathrow. 

Mike Carrivick, Chief Executive of BAR UK said

“The reopened debate provides the opportunity to create decisive aviation policies that tackle current issues crippling UK trade and economic growth and allow for a sustainable solution for the future.”

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Notes to Editors

BAR UK represents over 80 scheduled airlines in the UK in their dealings with Government, Government Departments, Regulators and Airport Operators.

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