Petition calling for furlough extension reaches 28,000 signatures

A petition calling for an extension of the government’s furlough scheme for the travel industry has attracted more than 28,000 signatures in a week when thousands more job losses have been confirmed.

The government ‘responds’ to all petitions with 10,000 signatures or more, but it will only consider debating a topic once a petition reaches 100,000 signatures.

Uncover the World sales manager Anthony Horrobin launched the petition last week to ask the government to extend its Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for all industries still being affected. He is still waiting for a government response.

He said: "Whilst many industries are now able to trade either fully or partially, the travel industry is being disproportionately affected by travel restrictions and quarantines being imposed by the government.

"Many people have spent their lives working in the industry and once all this is over, those skilled employees will be once again required to plan and take the nation on holiday.

"Whilst restrictions remain in place, imposed by the government we cannot trade fully or make a recovery."

Already the travel industry has laid off thousands of employees and several big businesses, including Cruise & Maritime Voyages, STA Travel, Fleetway Travel and Shearings have gone bust.

But the Bank of England chief economist this week used a City AM podcast to warn that extending the furlough scheme will only ‘prolonge the inevitable job losses’.

What the Mole says:

As Anthony’s petition points out, while some industries have been able to start functioning again, travel is still directly affected by decisions the government is making in regard to travel restrictions and quarantine’, which are preventing businesses from trading properly.

It’s no coincidence that easyJet announced further reductions to its winter schedule just hours after the government removed several Greek islands from its quarantine-exempt list.

In the past week alone, Virgin Atlantic has made a further 1,150 job cuts, Travelopia announced it is shedding around 30 jobs, Great Rail Journeys has made 43 staff redundant, and long-established businesses car rental firm Your Car Hire and Cities Direct have collapsed.

Without an extension to the government furlough scheme, which is due to end next month, thousands more jobs will be lost – and careers will be wiped out.

The BoE economist might be correct in saying that keeping jobs on life support is only prolonging the inevitable losses, but another way to look at it is that extending the furlough scheme will enable travel companies to survive until the government allows them to start trade normally again.

You can sign the petition here.