The UK will fall further behind on international
competitiveness if the current system of ever-changing restrictions, expensive
and unnecessary testing requirements and lack of a common approach across
borders is not simplified, says the boss of the UK’s biggest airport.
Heathrow airport CEO, John Holland-Kaye, said: “The Government
has the tools to protect the UK’s international competitiveness which will
boost the economic recovery and achieve its Global Britain ambitions. If
Ministers fail to take this opportunity to streamline the travel rules then the
UK will fall further behind as trade will increasingly bypass the UK"
Holland-Kaye said that August traffic at the airport was 71
per cent down on pre-pandemic levels and the airport is now only the 10th busiest in
Europe behind rivals such as Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris and Frankfurt.
The airport has called the government to adopt a simple two-tier system with
a risk- rather than country-based approach. Fully vaccinated travellers should
not be required to take a test, while those who are not vaccinated should
continue to take a pre-departure and arrival test using lateral flow, following
up with a PCR test if positive.
He also called on the UK’s Border Force to ensure they have adequate
resources and processes in place to ensure travellers receive a warm welcome
into the UK. “Recent scenes of passengers waiting for hours to be processed
through the UK border are totally unacceptable. Border Force can and should
deliver both a secure UK border and an efficient service for passengers,” he
said.