Brexit: Britain's aviation regulator prepares contingency plans

Britain's aviation regulator Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is likely to hire 60 additional staff to assist with planning for a scenario that would see the UK crash out of the European Union, according to a report. This is a scenario in case it happens without any comprehensive agreement to protect the industry. At a meeting of Department for Transport (DfT) with industry figures earlier this week, officials underlined the uncertainty over future flying arrangements between the UK and EU countries, according to Sky News. 

Airbus chief executive Tom Enders last week criticised the government's Brexit negotiations. Airbus has already warned in recent weeks that a "no deal" Brexit would cause huge damage to the company and the aerospace sector.  Enders said that ministers had "no clue, no consensus on how to execute Brexit without severe harm.

Airbus executive's remarks came as Theresa May convened a cabinet meeting at Chequers. According to the report, there was a meaningful truce between divided ministers appeared remote at the meeting. Officials, however, said that the "no deal" scenario planning was "a remote possibility, but it caused concern around the room. According to the report, the government had informal talks with member states on a basic framework to keep aircraft flying.

Officials said that they were confident about basic agreement with the EU which can be put in place. However, they made it clear that 'no deal' scenario planning should be taking place. "The government, the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the entire aviation industry have been clear that our collective preference is to secure the UK's ongoing participation in the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) system once the UK withdraws from the EU," A UK Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson was quoted as saying. "However, as a responsible regulator, we continue to make the necessary contingency plans."