Call made to help crisis-hit airlines

The British Government was today being urged to launch an advertising campaign encouraging people to fly to help stem job losses in the beleaguered aviation industry.

The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union was also pressing ministers to give compensation to airlines for ‘‘short-term losses’’ caused by the US terrorist attacks.

The union was holding a special summit to discuss the crisis in civil aviation which has cost tens of thousands of jobs since the September 11 outrage.

Ken Jackson, the union’s general secretary, said: ‘‘Short-term problems should not disguise the long-term difficulties that this industry faces.

‘‘We need more airports, more runways and more terminals if civil aviation is to be a growth area for British employment.’’

Mr Jackson said the British Government should scrap ‘‘costly and lengthy’’ planning laws that discouraged investors.

Around 70 representatives from the civil aviation industry were attending the London summit, including British Airways chairman Lord Marshall and transport minister John Spellar.

Airlines including BA, Virgin Atlantic and bmi British Midland have all announced job cuts in recent weeks because of a reduction in the number of air travellers.