Airlines say they can handle Brexit but are frustrated by the politics
Politicians must get it done, say chiefs
Brussels — Airlines will be able to withstand the impact of Britain leaving the EU, even without a deal, but the lack of political progress is frustrating and has dampened consumer demand, airline chiefs say. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, and Prime Minister Theresa May has yet to seal a deal that has the approval of MPs in Westminster. “I don’t think it’s concern that we’ve expressed. It’s frustration. We do really need the politicians to resolve this,” Willie Walsh, CEO of British Airways and Iberia parent IAG, said at the Airline for Europe summit in Brussels. “The industry manages these uncertainties better than any other industry ... I’m fairly confident that IAG and other airlines will be able to manage this situation whatever happens.” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said even if a deal is passed, it would only clinch a transition arrangement until the end of 2020, with further political instability delayed but not resolved. “A deal is good news in the short term but...
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