European Airports, Transport Workers and Aviation Suppliers Call for Urgent Support in Joint Statement

ETF, ASA and ACI Europe (working together as social partners) reiterated the need for the European Parliament to support an extension of temporary derogations to the EU Ground Handling Directive beyond what has been proposed by the European Commission.

Such an extension is crucial to preserve jobs and the livelihood of workers in the airport ground handling sector, which is suffering the devastating impact of COVID-19. It is also needed to secure operational continuity and an orderly restart of airport operations across Europe. This is indispensable to support the restoration of air connectivity, tourism and economic activity.

The three associations representing transport workers, ground handling companies and airport operators jointly urged the European Parliament to vote in favor of extended derogations compared the ones proposed by the European Commission. They warned that failure to do so would put thousands of jobs at risk, as the Commission proposal is not enough to ensure the financial and operational continuity of ground handlers and their staff in these exceptional circumstances.

Specifically, ETF, ASA and ACI EUROPE ask for:

• The validity of ground handling licences expiring by Dec. 31, 2022 to be prolonged for a maximum period of three years
• The possibility for temporary licences to be granted until Dec. 31, 2022 for a maximum period of 3 years or until Dec. 31, 2025 – whichever is longer.