One small sigh of relief for the flying public: Britain's exit from the European Union, scheduled to take place on March 29, will not scramble flights between the UK and Europe.
The EU had already offered to allow UK airlines to continue operating through March 2020 to avoid disruption, and the UK Department for Transportation has now announced that it will reciprocate if a no-deal Brexit makes it necessary.
The department's statement said that “The UK has adopted this approach to provide reassurance and minimise disruption — providing a cushion during which future air services arrangements can be negotiated.”
The ministry also addressed another tricky area: ownership of airlines. EU rules require that airlines be at least 50% European owned, and Britain would likely follow a similar path. But for a number of airlines, Britons becoming no longer Europeans could put them in violation of that rule. The UK will treat UK and EU investors as the same, through March 2020.
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