British Airways redundancies

That this House notes with concern that British Airways has made 12,000 staff redundant; thanks these workers for their heroic efforts in repatriating those stranded due to covid-19 at their own risk; offers solidarity to these workers that find themselves needlessly out of a job in the middle of a global pandemic; is disappointed that British Airways chose to take the decision to reject Government support and announce it on International Workers’ Memorial Day; emphasises that, as an island, aviation is essential to the UK for trade, business and managing social and family networks; looks to the governments of our European neighbours who are taking action to protect their aviation industries; urges the Government to provide fully-repayable loans and take a financial stake in aviation companies; asks aviation companies to cap all elements of executive pay, protect employee terms and conditions and transition to greener, more efficient travel operations once flights resume; and calls on the Government to publicly finance smaller airports, air traffic control and specific routes within the UK aviation network to retain much-needed vital connectivity.