The industry is unlikely to “hit the ground running” at the launch of the ‘test to release’ scheme for arrivals in England from December 15.
The government delay in publishing a list of approved test providers means some preparations are on hold and costs remain unclear.
An industry source said: “We’re days away from the start and there is no list of test providers. It’s still not clear whether passengers will be able to use rapid tests. The system may have to bed in. We’d hoped to hit the ground running, but it will need a week to ramp up.”
Airlines have been signing multiple deals with test suppliers.
An airline source said: “The economics of this are important. Carriers are hedging their bets with test providers. They will market a test when you book a flight.”
Passengers will be required to book and pay for a test before they arrive, with the test taken after five days’ self-isolation. The government has specified tests must have a sensitivity of 97%, which currently means only lab-based PCR tests, which typically cost £120.
Industry sources also expressed frustration at the government’s failure to partner on testing trials at Heathrow and on transatlantic flights. One said: “We want to see the government partner with airlines and airports on these trials, but the government is stand-offish.
“We’re asking the government not to take its foot off the pedal over Christmas. Confidence is growing and we need to keep that going.”
Corporate travel leaders welcomed the announcement of a quarantine exemption for “high-value” business travel last week, but said it did not go far enough. “Senior executives” will be exempt from quarantine “if the business activity requires their physical presence” and will create or preserve “at least 50 UK-based jobs” or involve goods or services “worth at least £100 million”.
An aviation source said: “It’s an indication of intent. [But] the bar is set high and exemptions are notoriously difficult to build into a process. We want to get to a point where we don’t need exemptions.”
However, the source insisted: “We see a pathway now. The impact on bookings is positive. Anything to improve revenues over this dire winter will help. People aren’t rushing to book from December 15, but there is more confidence to book next year.”
Aviation leaders welcomed European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) guidelines last week stating: “Travellers should be treated in the same way as local residents.” The guidelines note that with “the virus well-established in all EU and European Economic areas and the UK, testing and quarantine have only a limited impact on reducing the spread”.
However, they also note “a testing and quarantine regime could be useful” when “travellers move from an area of high incidence to one with a much lower infection rate”.
Separately, the Foreign Office advised people considering travel abroad over Christmas to be aware of local rules and “understand disruption is possible”.