Brexit won't disrupt transatlantic air traffic, says Transport Secretary Chris Grayling

Britain's decision to leave the European Union will not disrupt transatlantic air traffic, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told US officials.

Aviation is among the many industries set to be impacted by Brexit, as Britain will have to renegotiate access to European and US skies separately.

"Obviously there is a lot of interest amongst the US airlines about exactly what the future looks like," he said during a visit in Washington.

"I wanted to reassure them that this is an early priority to make sure the successor arrangements are in place.

"I have no doubt we will be able to sort out these issues in good time."

On a daily basis, approximately 250 US-bound flights leave from airports across the UK but Britain will not be able to formally sign an Open Skies agreement with the US until it completes the Brexit process.

However, Grayling told his US counterpart , Elaine Chao, that Britain would be ready to implement new arrangements for airlines once it leaves the bloc in 2019.

"There is no need for us to create an exotic new treaty," he said.

"It's just a question of making sure existing arrangements continue post-2019. The US and UK administrations are working closely together on this and everybody knows we need to provide comfort to the airlines in good time."

Airlines have repeatedly voiced their concerns over Brexit, stressing the need for the government to reach an agreement with the EU as quickly as possible. Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary has been particularly vocal in urging the government to ensure Britain remained in the EU Open Skies agreement post-Brexit.

"We, like all airlines, seek clarity on this issue before we publish our summer 2019 schedule in the second quarter of 2018," he said earlier this week.

"If we do not have certainty about the legal basis for the operation of flights between the UK and the EU by autumn 2018, we may be forced to cancel flights and move some, or all, of our UK based aircraft to Continental Europe from April 2019 onwards."