The chief executive of Heathrow airport has told prime minister Boris Johnson to “get a grip of our border policy” or risk thousands of travel industry jobs and “holding back the recovery of the UK economy”.
Europe’s busiest airport unveiled its Covid-19 testing centre for arriving passengers this morning as pressure mounts on government to seek alternative solutions to blanket quarantine restrictions.
Speaking on Wednesday, John Holland-Kaye said the prime minister needs to act swiftly to find options to replace the 14-day self-isolation policy imposed on arrivals from countries not on the UK government’s ‘safe list’ of destinations.
Croatia, which has been tipped to be removed from the ‘safe lists’ this week, meanwhile insisted it is a safe destination. The Croatian National Tourist Board’s general director, Kristjan Staničić, said: “The whole of tourism industry in Croatia is behaving responsibly and adhering to the prescribed epidemiological measures.”
Heathrow’s plan, drawn up with Collinson and Swissport, allows arriving passengers to book coronavirus swab tests and have results within seven hours; with those testing negative able to leave quarantine five to eight days after landing.
It said more than 13,000 passenger tests can be carried out each day, and the operation could be scaled with demand.
Holland-Kaye said that “having started well” by introducing different policies for travellers coming from different countries based on risk, the UK has “now fallen behind” other countries on its border policy
“We need to move quickly to get people moving through the UK again to help us to recover the UK economy,” he told Sky News.
“This is a cross-government decision, and this is a question for Number 10 to get a grip of our border policy to make sure that business can start flowing again.
“This is holding back the recovery of the UK economy and putting thousands and thousands of jobs at risk.
“The government needs to act now to allow testing as an alternative to quarantine so we can get the economy kick-started.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership said Heathrow’s testing facility was “a positive step in the right direction towards redressing the damage done to the travel industry by blanket quarantine procedures”.
She said consumer confidence in travel was at an “all-time low” after countries such as Spain and France were removed from the government’s ‘safe list’ and added: “Scientific advice supports the process of double testing, one on arrival and one at the travellers home two days later. This could be a very real opportunity to significantly cut down the quarantine time and at the same time help prevent transmission of the virus.
“We urge the Government to consider this potential compromise as a priority. A solution such as this would surely boost confidence for many Britons who simply cannot afford to take 14-days additional leave after their holiday as a result of the quarantine rules.”
“For leisure travellers it would help ease the panic caused by sudden quarantine announcements. For business travellers it would certainly be a real boost and provide kick-start needed to get the sector operating again.”
Health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed ministers are thrashing out details on the feasibility of such a regime and Travel Weekly understands industry representatives met government to discuss quarantine alternatives this week.
Hancock told Sky News: “We are working with Heathrow and other airports on this project. I clearly understand the impact of quarantine on so many people’s lives. It is not something anybody would want to do. So I hope that this project can bear fruit.”
