London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A fledgling British cargo airline has revealed how Brexit red tape has pushed it to go as far as the US for regular servicing and repairs at enormous environmental and financial costs.
How has Brexit red tape impacted One Air’s operations?
The chief executive of One Air, Chris Hope, stated the last government neglected to do any Brexit effect assessment for aviation and the sector was worried that Labour would make a similar “mysterious” omission when it opened discussions with the EU about a reset in the cross-Channel trading relationship.
How does Brexit affect mutual recognition of professional qualifications?
The company has blamed post-Brexit rules that require British pilots to be formally re-examined for identical capabilities in the EU at a substantial cost, while engineers’ hard-earned licences are generated practically worthless outside Britain. Part of the issue is the lack of mutual recognition for those with professional credentials between the EU and the UK, something that also generates problems for architects and accountants. But One Air’s problem is compounded by its status as the only company in the UK employing Boeing 747s.
What challenges does One Air face with servicing and maintenance for Boeing 747s?
Servicing and maintenance infrastructure for the aeroplane is fast disappearing as passenger airlines change to Airbus since the pandemic. As part of the Brexit agreement, EU-based aircraft engineering businesses in the bloc could apply to be identified in the UK before the end of 2022 but there were no takers for 747s. It signifies One Air is forced to fight for slots in the one restoration workshop in Germany recognised in the UK or go to the US for the work to be done.
“In the seven months of this calendar year so far, we’ve had two [services] that had to go to the US. The kind of incremental cost difference is approaching $500,000 for each of them,” Hope expressed, resulting in costs so far of $1m (£780,000). “[EU] organisations can get UK approval but … they would have to apply to the UK as if they were a new operator and it is duplicate regulations, which is very involved. The cost and time of doing that is quite prohibitive to potentially service a two- or three-aircraft fleet.”
Similar cases have occurred in the industrial chemical industry, with enormous costs associated with compliance with two collections of regulations, both originating from the same original EU legislation.
Why is One Air forced to seek maintenance services in the US?
The UK has a bilateral agreement with the US, something the aviation industry expectancies could be a model for a reset in relations with the EU. Aircraft have to be serviced every three months, which brings a week at a time, with a longer check, taking a month, every two years.
But routine restorations are also a problem as components can only be placed in UK aircraft if they are UK-approved or covered by the UK’s deal with the US.
“If it is completed by a workshop in the EU and unless that company has been UK approved, it can’t be used and that has a significant impact,” stated Hope. Pilots are another problem, with British qualifications “seriously tainted” by Brexit because they are no longer acknowledged by the EU.
What steps could be taken to resolve the aviation industry’s Brexit-related issues?
Amy Leversidge, the general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association, urged the new government to heed the association’s reiterated calls for “mutual recognition of flight staff and engineer licences, medical certificates, and training association approvals, which would benefit all airlines and clear barriers to UK licence holders securing employment”.