As Europe prepares to reopen on 1 July, EBAA is urging governments in the EU and the EFTA member states and the UK to lift travel restrictions in a carefully coordinated manner.

The European business aviation community welcomes the European Commission's efforts to coordinate Europe's reopening and the recent guidelines on how to resume travel to the Schengen and UK regions safely. Safety is, and always will be, the top priority for business aviation.

EBAA secretary general Athar Husain Khan states: “A coordinated approach to lifting travel restrictions is vital to avoid the confusion experienced by some business aviation operators when Europe reopened its internal borders earlier this month and to effectively restart air travel.”

Business aviation operators can offer specific precautionary measures and guarantees that ensure the highest level of safety. During the COVID-19 crisis, and in the face of incredible operational challenges and restrictions, operators continued to provide humanitarian relief support, including for the transport of health workers and critical medical supplies.

Additional health and protection measures were implemented in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. These measures comply with the most recent EASA and ECDC guidelines for the management of air passengers and aviation personnel, covering pre-flight, onboard and post-flight hygiene procedures.

The accessibility and desirability of business aviation will be a decisive factor for many companies moving forward. With a diverse range of aircraft catering to medical and humanitarian relief initiatives, the business aviation sector puts people first, be it aircraft owners, passengers or employees.

EBAA goes on to say that the business aviation sector has always been a lifeline for communities, be it for medical transport or as a tool to help governments and businesses generate local economic development. Business aviation is a leading contributor to tourism and the European job market. The sector provides nearly half a million highly-skilled, highly paid jobs, and accounts for 90 billion euros of economic output.

The association calls on governments across the EU and the EFTA member states and the UK to work closely together on the lifting of travel restrictions, within and to the EU. Business aviation operators and other economic players need predictability, rules that are applicable all around Europe, as well as transparent and timely communications.