16th May 2016
The impact of Brexit
It’s now only a few weeks until the UK’s EU referendum. Important questions are being asked around the potential impact of the UK exiting the EU including, including the impact on travel.
Much depends on what is put in place post any decision to leave, but one area of concern is higher airfares.
The success of the no-frills airlines and the impact they have had would not have happened in the way it has if the EU had not been at the forefront of removing the old restrictions on air service agreements and introduced more open competition on routes between Union countries.
If the UK was no longer part of the EU, new air service agreements might have to be negotiated, competition could be reduced and fares could rise again.
And what about a weaker pound? Brexit might weaken the euro as much as it undermines the value of the pound, but there is a risk that the pound may drop.
As for flight delay compensation, if the UK was to leave the EU then passengers departing the country would have no right to compensation. More importantly, they would have no entitlement to care and assistance.
The costs of using your mobile phone in Europe has plunged in recent years, and roaming charges will be abolished entirely in June 2017. Bur if we are no longer in the EU, it looks a certainty that prices will rise again.
Will it be harder to work in the EU? It seems almost certain that your rights to work would be more restricted and more bureaucratic to arrange.
What is clear is that these are just a few of the many considerations and that the true impact remains uncertain.