The House of Commons Transport Committee was in action last week with a series of interviews involving some of the key people in the industry.  More on Monday (11 May) with Willie Walsh.

Mark Tanzer of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) led off together with Simon Calder of The Independent who both gave a robust view of the very serious position that the holiday market finds itself.

“ABTA welcomes the Committee’s work to understand the situation facing different types of travel business and their customers. Travel agents and tour operators are facing different challenges to airlines, and we urgently need Government intervention and guidance in a number of areas, including refunds, furloughing and travel insurance.”

On the airport front familiar names dealt with the questioning.  John Holland-Kaye (CEO Heathrow), Debra Bowen Rees (Managing Director Cardiff Airport) and Karen Dee (representing the Airport Operators Association (AOA).

Holland-Kaye put much emphasis on Heathrow’s leadership for a Common International Standard for health screening at all global airports.

Speaking on behalf of all the UK’s major air carriers Airlines UK Tim Alderslade made their position clear: "We will continue to work with Government at pace to develop a set of robust, science-based international health and screening protocols, that will work to keep passengers safe and - critically - enable aviation to start moving again".

The two-hour session 6 May can be viewed here.