Originally Posted by
AN2 Driver
The EU should not forget that they need the British airspace for their daily NATL business, so what if Britan would unilaterally bring on large overflight charges for EU carriers just for starters? Or deny overflight? There are many ways an independent nation can make things very awkward and expensive for unfriendly nations who still need to do some business. Britain has chosen this way and now it is the time to see it through, not to wonder how to migate side effects. Being outside EASA might actually be a profitable business at the expense of current save havens like the Isle of Man, Channel Islands or San Marino... and working in the direction of closer cooperation or adaption of ruling towards the FAA might make a lot of people happier than in the current state.
As a signatory state to the Air Services Transit Agreement from 1944 (part of the Chicago Convention) the UK cannot close its airspace unilaterally. Russia on the other hand can, because they never signed it. Well, of course the UK could leave the ICAO next after the EU, and then the United Nations. But i don't really think that is likely.
What many do not really see is the fact that with every international agreement (whether trade or other stuff) you sign, you lose some part of control, usually in favor to some gains on the other side. Which puts the whole question of sovereignty in some very murky light indeed.