Brexit minister pledges to make UK aviation a '˜major success story'

Meeting with executives from more than a dozen infuential firms, Secretary of State David Davis promised to work with the industry to expand opportunities for growth.

He told them the Government will look to secure “liberal access” to European markets throughout Brexit negotiations.

But he suggested it will also take advantage of “greater freedom” to explore deals with countries outside of the EU.

In a joint statement with Airlines UK, Mr Davis stated that aviation “is absolutely crucial to the UK’s economy”.

He said the country has direct connections to over 370 international destinations, giving it “the largest aviation network in Europe”.

“We will work closely together to ensure that this international industry continues to be a major success story for the UK economy... and better understand what risks and opportunities exist,” he said.

“Market access remains a top priority, and we want to make sure we have liberal access to European aviation markets.

“We will also work closely to explore new opportunities for further liberalisation.

“We are clear that Brexit provides greater freedom to seek new agreements between the UK and some third countries.

He added that other areas “of critical importance” during negotiations include aviation safety and security, as well as the environment.

“We want to work together to build on all this with a common aim to ensure... the country remains prosperous and open for business,” he said.