Shippers fear disruptions at airports with “no-deal” Brexit

Shippers fear disruptions at major airports due to the additional security checks for passengers if a “no-deal” Brexit is confirmed. Schiphol is the second airport after Heathrow used by the UK passengers for intercontinental flights, and Frankfurt and Barcelona come next to it. The “no-deal” scenario can have huge consequences for the entire operation of the airports. Shippers encourage authorities to urgently develop contingency plans to face possible disturbances.

According to Olivier Jankovec, Director-General of the Airports Council International (ACI) cited in the Irish Times, “the introduction of security checks for the UK citizens would entail the purchase of additional security equipment, building new checkpoints, and recruiting more staff. This would entail significant costs for airlines, airports… . Furthermore, the recruitment and training of security personnel takes six to nine months. In the case of Schiphol, to change passenger flows could require expensive terminal infrastructure modifications and would take several years to complete”.