A WARNING has been issued that a failure to get on top of soaring cases could lead to overseas countries restricting travel to stop importing the Delta variant.

Scotland recorded six deaths of coronavirus patients in the latest 24-hour period and 2,363 new cases, according to data published yesterday.

But fears have been raised that a failure to bring case numbers down could put holiday plans at risk – adding further misery for the aviation industry.

Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister, Graham Simpson, said: “The SNP have taken their eye off the ball and the virus is threatening to spiral out of control in Scotland.

"Just as many people, particularly those who are double jabbed were potentially looking forward to going on holiday, their plans could be in jeopardy as a result of the SNP failing to be on top of fighting the virus.

“Further restrictions is the last thing Scotland’s airports and travel sector needs. They are on their knees and vital jobs and livelihoods remain at great risk.

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“The SNP have failed to engage with them throughout the pandemic and failed to address their concerns at every turn.

“It would be a complete dereliction of duty if the travel industry’s road to recovery was put at greater risk as a result of SNP ministers failing to ensure robust measures were in place to stop the virus spreading in Scotland.”

The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) has warned “aviation is in urgent need of meaningful, ongoing support”.

Joanne Dooey, SPAA president, added: “Aviation is not a sector which can just be turned off and then on again like a tap. Once these flights and routes have gone, they’re gone and all the tremendous hard work which went into securing these routes for Scotland in the past will have been for nothing.

“Our independent survey recently showed that the loss to the Scottish economy of just one plane load of Scottish holidaymakers to one Spanish sunspot this summer could be as much as £38,000. While the overall loss of all Scotland’s holiday flights to Spain, excluding the Canaries, could be over £460 million.

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“It’s time that the true value of aviation and international travel to Scotland was recognised and given the support it so seriously needs.”

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has previously said that discussion regularly take place with the aviation industry.

She added: “We were one of the few parts—if not the only part—of the UK to extend non-domestic rates relief to the airport industry in light of the challenges that it faces.

“We will continue to keep in close contact with the airports. I know that, ultimately, they want the restrictions to be removed. We want to do that on a four-nations basis when it is safe to do so and when we see that the vaccination programme is making good progress across the world.”