Scotland’s airports and the body representing UK-registered airlines say Scottish aviation is being “left behind due to the lack of a testing strategy” and have jointly called on the Scottish Government to make urgent progress on the introduction of an effective testing regime that will enable the safe restart of aviation and protect thousands of jobs.
The calls come on the day that a new test to release programme began that is designed to allow passengers arriving in England to cut the length of their quarantine in half on receipt of a negative Covid test.
Derek Provan, chief executive of AGS Airports which owns Aberdeen and Glasgow airports, said: “Today, airports and airlines in England can start making plans to safely restart international travel and get the aviation industry moving again. There are no such plans in place for Scotland.
“We now risk being left behind as airlines will opt to relocate their aircraft and with them what’s left of our connectivity and the jobs that rely on them."
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: “The introduction of test to release in England is a huge step forward for the aviation industry which has been decimated by the pandemic and has never had the chance to enter recovery.
“Reducing the quarantine period by half will help to open up more markets, and provides a good platform for further discussions with the government about making use of advances in testing to get rid of quarantine altogether. That Scotland has failed to put in place a testing regime at all – not even a trial – is hugely disappointing and somewhat at odds with its status as an aviation nation, and it does place Scottish airports at a serious competitive disadvantage.”
A spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport said: “Airports and airlines across Europe continue to plan for the safe restart of aviation, and it is incredibly disappointing that Scotland has decided not to take its seat at that table. Instead we are operating in the worst of both worlds – a competitive landscape where Scotland stands alone and is left behind.
“Having no plan has immediate and long-term issues as airlines have already stated that divergence will lead them to relocate their aircraft elsewhere, taking with them jobs and hard-won connectivity."