MP Douglas Chapman has expressed his devastation at the hundreds of jobs being lost in the aviation sector as a result of COVID-19 and how it may affect his constituency, which includes Crossgates, Hill of Beath and Moss-side.

In recent weeks a number of companies have announced they would be cutting staff, including Menzies Aviation, Swissport and British Airways. The job losses entailed will include hundreds of workers at Edinburgh Airport, which is a significant employer in Mr Chapman's Dunfermline and West Fife constituency - striking a serious blow to the area.

Redundancies in the sector aren’t exclusive to airlines as ground crew, baggage handlers and maintenance crews are also facing the prospect of losing their jobs.

Announcements of further job losses at locations across the UK, like Stansted and Gatwick, also strikes a further blow to Scottish airports as it has a significant impact on routes and Scotland’s connectivity with the rest of the world.

Most airlines are set to run a reduced number of flights, with EasyJet reporting that it will fly only around 30% of flights until September. Ryanair also plans to run a reduced schedule of around 40% of flights in July before increasing to between 60% and 70% by September.

There is consensus among airline bosses that they will likely not return to 2019 levels until 2023.

In an effort to stimulate and support these businesses, Mr. Chapman and his SNP colleagues have been holding numerous meetings with representatives in the aviation and tourism industry.

Mr. Chapman said: “The aviation sector is a major employer in Dunfermline and West Fife affecting most communities, and it is devastating to see the rate at which jobs are being lost in the industry.

“Some airlines are experiencing a 90% decrease in demand and are facing billions of pounds of losses.

“That impact trickles down to the businesses who support the operation of airports, such as Swissport and Menzies, and creates a snowball effect.

“I have been working alongside my SNP colleagues to protect jobs in the sector and protect the rights of workers through introducing legislation in the House of Commons".

He added: “We will also continue to press the UK Government to produce a comprehensive and bespoke support package for struggling industries.

“Not only that, but we also need to make sure that here in Scotland we have a tourism offering for visitors. That is why I have added my name to a letter to the Chancellor calling on a reduction in VAT for the tourism and hospitality sector, converting loans into grants and extending the furlough scheme.

“It is more than likely we will see these businesses continue to struggle for years to come as demand slowly returns to 2019 levels. That’s why the Tories need to step up and provide the help the industry desperately needs before we see further job losses in communities like Dunfermline and West Fife.”