LABOUR shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said yesterday that a no-deal Brexit would be a “disaster” for aviation in Britain.

British aircraft would not be allowed to fly in the event of a no-deal Brexit unless new arrangements for commercial flights are introduced by March.

Think tank the Institute for Economic Affairs has warned that there is no fall-back plan for air-traffic-control rights under World Trade Organisation rules in the event a deal cannot be struck with Brussels.

Britain would also lose air traffic rights involving countries including the United States, Canada and Switzerland because they had been made through the EU.

Mr McDonald said: “A no-deal Brexit would be a disaster for the UK aviation sector. Last month, Chris Grayling said: ‘come what may, we will have a sensible agreement on aviation,’ but no deal risks grounding flights.

“The industry needs the reassurance of knowing an unchanged operating environment will be retained after Brexit.”