The association was conspicuous by its absence from the meeting chaired by transport secretary Grant Shapps after the Department for Transport (DfT) provided the full list of 31 attendees to TTG.

The list included representatives from across the aviation, maritime and international rail sectors, as well as industry bodies such as VisitBritain, UKinbound and UKHospitality, but not Abta.

Abta confirmed to TTG on Wednesday there was a mix-up with its invitation. An spokesperson stressed the association would continue to be "involved and engaged" with the taskforce’s activities, adding that it was promptly given a full recap of what was covered during the session.

The association will host a roundtable with government officials on Thursday (4 March), along with members of its Save Future Travel coalition, to share insights. It is also speaking to members about the proposals they want the association to put forward to the taskforce in future.

"We are involved and engaged with the taskforce, and have had several conversations and meetings with government about the work of the taskforce, the areas they are looking at and how we can feed into that to ensure travel agents and tour operators’ views are heard," said the Abta spokesperson.

"We are speaking to members about proposals for restarting travel to help guide the Global Travel Taskforce’s thinking and work."

The DfT confirmed on Monday the taskforce will continue to engage with travel in the weeks leading up to publication, on 12 April, of its report on how international travel can be restarted safely.

In a statement, it said Monday’s meeting was attended by several government departments, along with "industry bodies, transport operators and travel agencies", although the only recognisable "agent" in the list, Tui, was grouped under attendees from the "aviation" sector.

When the taskforce was set up last year, it drew criticism from the travel industry when it was revealed it would comprise just 12 government departments, bodies and taskforces, although it did go on to consult with nearly 100 businesses, organisations and associations from the travel, transport and tourism sectors before reporting to the government in November.

Monday’s meeting did, however, portray a more collaborative approach, with aviation and maritime minister Robert Courts confirming to the transport select committee on Wednesday (3 March) that this would be the case. "The Global Travel Taskforce brings together not just ministers and various different parts of government, but crucially the sector as well," said Courts.

He added that in order to lift the country’s Covid restrictions in a safe, sustainable and robust way, while meeting the targets laid out in the government’s roadmap to reopen the economy and society, it was vital the government listened to what sector had to say.

"We had the earlier taskforce, but a number of things have changed since then," said Courts. "We’ve had another national lockdown, we’ve had the variants, and we’ve had the great progress on vaccines.

"So it is absolutely critical that at this stage we take stock, look at the change in environment that we have, and crucially work really closely with all of our sector colleagues that we’ve been hearing from today, and many others as well to make sure we make progress in a robust and sustainable way.

"This is very much about bringing the right people together, in the right way, and following the prime minister’s roadmap and making a difference to easing restrictions on the sector."

‘Never more important to pull together’

Courts addressed the committee shortly after an animated appearance by Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary, who said now was the time for action, not more taskforces.

“We don’t think this taskforce is likely to achieve much," said O’Leary. "As you all know, in the House of Commons, if you want to slow something down, you set up a taskforce or a high level study group or – God help us – a commission. Then you kick it into the long grass."

O’Leary added Ryanair would support "any government initiatives that get travel back working again".

CAA chief executive Richard Moriarty also addressed the committee on Wednesday, and called on the industry to put aside any differences and come together as a whole to "coalesce" around the taskforce.

"UK aviation has a proud record of working together as a system," said Moriarty. "It requires all parts of that system to pull together, and never has it been more important for us to do so.”