UK Airline Faces £400k Bill for Each Plane Repair Due to EU Regulations

In a challenging post-Brexit landscape, fledgling British cargo airline One Air finds itself facing significant financial strain due to stringent EU regulations. The airline has revealed that it incurs a staggering £400,000 in costs each time one of its planes requires routine servicing or repairs.

This financial burden stems from the lack of mutual recognition between the EU and the UK for professional qualifications in the aviation industry. One Air, led by CEO Chris Hope, is compelled to send its aircraft to the United States for necessary repairs, a consequence of the new post-Brexit rules.

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The absence of mutual recognition agreements means that British pilots must undergo costly re-examinations for qualifications that are already identical to those in the EU, while UK engineers‘ licenses are rendered practically worthless outside Britain. This situation has forced One Air to pay approximately £780,000 ($1 million) for just two services in the first seven months of the year.

The problem extends beyond pilots and engineers; it also affects architects and accountants, who similarly face obstacles due to the lack of recognition of their professional qualifications. The British Airline Pilots’ Association has called on the government to negotiate mutual recognition of licenses, which would alleviate the financial burden on airlines and streamline operations.

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Routine aircraft servicing, which includes checks every three months and more extensive maintenance every two years, has become increasingly difficult under the current regulations.

Components used in UK aircraft must now either be UK-approved or covered by a deal with the US. Parts from EU workshops cannot be used unless the workshop has secured UK approval, further complicating maintenance and repair processes.

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