30 June 2020, Brussels. As Europe prepares to reopen on 1 July, the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) today urged governments in the EU and the EFTA Member States, and the United Kingdom, to lift travel restrictions in a carefully coordinated manner.

The European Business Aviation community welcomes the European Commission's (EC) 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, said: "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 effectively restart air travel".

Safe and healthy travelling: the value of Business Aviation in the "new normal"

Business Aviation operations are unique; adaptable, tailored and highly secure. 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, Business Aviation 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 hygienic 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, our sector puts people first – be it aircraft owners, passengers or employees. 

Business Aviation will help shape the European recovery

Our 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.

EBAA 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.

The Business Aviation sector has been on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis. It will continue to play a vital role in the restart of air travel, as well as the broader economic recovery, in Europe and beyond.  

-ENDS- 

Media contact: Frederique Luca, fluca@ebaa.org, +32 479 66 08 13

About EBAA: The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is the leading organisation for operators of business aircraft in Europe. Our mission is to enable responsible, sustainable growth for Business aviation, enhance connectivity and create opportunities. EBAA works to improve safety standards and share knowledge, to further positive regulation and to ease all aspects of closely tailored, flexible, point to point air transportation for individuals, governments, businesses and local communities in the most time-efficient way possible. Founded in 1977 and based in Brussels, EBAA represents more than 700 companies, corporate operators, commercial operators, manufacturers, airports, fixed-based operators, and more, with a total fleet of +1,000 aircraft. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, or visit our website on www.ebaa.org.