COLLEAGUES at the Manchester Airports Group (MAG) will be holding a demonstration today (23 June) in protest of the government’s treatment of the aviation industry.

It comes after MAG launched a legal challenge – supported by a number of major airlines – against the government’s lack of transparency when making decisions about the countries categorised as red, amber or green in its traffic light system.

The UK’s largest airport group will mimic a pre-pandemic day of flying on social media.

Staff at all three MAG airports - Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands - will take part in this. 

MAG staff will tweet out a picture of themselves holding placards with the campaign’s hashtag #traveldayofaction or a picture of the flight code.

These will be posted at the exact time each flight would have taken off in on 23 June 2019.


(Twitter/ @manairport)

At Manchester Airport, 319 flights which departed this day in 2019 in comparison to just 47 that are taking off today.

An estimated 5600 passengers will pass through the airport’s terminals this year, compared with 104,464 two years earlier.

The demonstration doesn’t end there and a peaceful protest will also be taking place outside Terminal Three at Manchester Airport from 12:30- this is something that has been organised by the Unite Union.

Elsewhere in the UK London Stansted Airport colleagues will join a march on Westminster with others from across the industry; at East Midlands Airport a photo opportunity is taking place of passengers getting ready to go on holiday to nowhere, relaxing on sun loungers in the summer clothes.

Karen Smart, the Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “COVID-19 has been the biggest crisis the aviation industry has ever faced, with data from the Office for National Statistics showing it will be the last to fully recover.

“There has been very little support from government, confusing messaging about where people can travel to, and a traffic light system that clearly doesn’t work.

(Twitter/ @manairport)

“With so much at stake, it is simply unacceptable that government refuses to explain why it is ignoring clear evidence that travel to many popular destinations could be opened up.

“It’s therefore no surprise the industry has been left with no option but to challenge the legality of this lack of transparency, and to protest against the stifling of our recovery through this day of action.

“We are fully supportive of our colleagues and partners on site today who are involved, and I hope the collective efforts of the industry don’t go unnoticed by government, who is at risk of permanently damaging a sector that delivers so much to the UK’s economy.”

Did you take part in the demonstration? Send your story to: sarah.mcgee@newsquest.co.uk