The UK government’s decision to move towards regional travel
corridors for islands within European countries has been largely welcomed by
the travel industry, but the lack of progress on implementing alternatives to
the measures has renewed fears of a raft of job losses this winter.
Making a statement in the House of Commons on Monday,
transport secretary Grant Shapps said the Joint Biosecurity Centre, which helps
the government make decisions around which countries to add to its list of
travel corridors, now had enough data available to be able to restart or shut
down quarantine-free travel between the UK and regions with natural borders
separating them from the rest of their nation – such as the Greek Islands,
seven of which will be subject to restrictions from Wednesday.
Shapps also announced that the Department for Transport and
Home Office were continuing to research the possibility of implementing
coronavirus testing for travellers to limit the amount of time they have to
self-isolate, but warned that the government’s scientific advisors had yet to
approve the private tests being proposed by airports such as Heathrow. He said
the evidence pointed to a single, “day zero” testing scheme where passengers
are only tested once on arrival to the UK being ineffective at catching “93 per
cent” of potential positive cases and instead said he was more interested in
systems such as the one being used in Iceland, where passengers are tested once
on arrival and again after several days in quarantine. This type of regime has
the possibility to shorten the length of time travellers will need to spend in
self-isolation – currently 14 days in the UK.
But Shapps added that the government will only consider
implementing a testing system if it does not impact on the NHS’s overall
testing capacity, saying it would ‘not be right’ to prioritise ‘holidaymakers’
over the general population.
While the regional corridors announcement was welcomed by
many in the industry as a ‘step in the right direction’, bosses and experts
joined MPs in criticising the “on-again-off-again” quarantine measures and lack
of progress on moving towards a testing scheme.
Speaking to BBC News, Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of
Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “Initially it [the statement] sounded like
positive news. All it is really doing is adding another layer of complexity for
travellers. We feel testing is vital alongside travel corridors.
“A double-testing routine would provide a more effective
measure to allow travellers to return back to the UK in a safe manner. We’ve
seen 40,000 job losses. This is a step in the right direction but we need the
government to listen and work with us.”
A spokesperson for Heathrow airport commented: “We welcome
the transport secretary’s announcement that testing to shorten quarantine is
under active consideration by the government and that air bridges to islands
will now be instated where appropriate. If introduced, these vital policy changes
would show the government understands how critical the restoration of air
travel is to this country’s economic recovery. The government needs to build on
these developments and show global leadership to establish common international
standards for testing before flight.”
Manchester Airports Group CEO Charlie Cornish said: “It is
good that Grant Shapps is responding to the concerns of the aviation industry
and committing government to look at how testing can be used to reduce the time
people need to spend in quarantine.
“Adopting a regionalised approach to travel corridors is
also welcome news and long overdue.
“The top priority should be bringing in a testing regime
that will shorten the period of time passengers have to self-isolate. With hundreds
of thousands of travel sector jobs at stake and the summer holiday season
already behind us, progress must be made on this as a matter of urgency.”
Karen Dee, CEO of the Airport Operators Association (AOA),
said: “Treating islands separately to a mainland for the purposes of quarantine
is a welcome step in the right direction for government policy. But the
quarantine requirement is devastating the UK aviation industry and this change
is unlikely to improve consumer confidence significantly. It is essential that
we find a safe alternative.
“Industry has been calling for government action on a
testing regime for the aviation system for months, while the sector has
suffered through its worst summer in a generation. While there are certainly
some issues with testing immediately on arrival – as the transport secretary
outlined – there are other options available, such as testing on day five or
day eight after arrival, which could improve the situation.
“Government must work quickly and decide upon a testing
regime which can be put in place as soon as possible. The aviation sector
cannot continue operating against these headwinds for much longer – AOA
estimates more than 100,000 jobs are at risk unless the industry can restart
properly. A testing regime for UK aviation would help kickstart such a
recovery.”
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, added: “This
is a step in the right direction, which in time could help open up more markets
for international travel and further choice and clarity for passengers. That
said, a comprehensive testing regime is urgently required to enable
connectivity to and from countries like the US, one of our most vital trading
and strategic partners. The transport secretary has intimated that good
progress is being made, but it’s critical this is signed off by government and
implemented by the end of this month, and as carriers we will work with him on
delivering the right solutions. As airlines enter what will be an incredibly
tough winter period, further economic support for the industry, such as an APD
waiver, must be considered in addition to these improved travel guidelines.”
Easyjet, which is planning to cut about 4,500 jobs as a
result of the financial damage caused by Covid-19, said it now expects to
operate even less capacity than planned this winter following the announcement.
CEO Johan Lundgren commented: “Following the imposition of additional
quarantine restrictions to seven Greek islands and the continued uncertainty
this brings for customers, demand is now likely to be further impacted and
therefore lower than previously anticipated.
“We now expect to fly slightly less than 40 per cent of our
planned schedule over the current quarter.
“We know customers are as frustrated as we are with the
unpredictable travel and quarantine restrictions.
“We called on the government to opt for a targeted,
regionalised and more predictable and structured system of quarantine many
weeks ago so customers could make travel plans with confidence.”
Lundgren told the BBC the government’s announcement – which comes
just a week after the peak summer holiday season ended – was “too little too
late” for the aviation industry.
The travel industry has been calling for regional corridors
since the UK government began establishing air bridges in July, and Labour’s
shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said the government’s handling of travel
restrictions and the coronavirus pandemic in general was “chaotic”. “For
months, even when the virus was at its peak, millions of passengers were coming
from all over the world without any restrictions placed upon them at all,”
McMahon said in his response in the House of Commons. “By the time restrictions
were introduced, we were one of only a handful of countries in the world who up
to that point had failed to take action in bringing restrictions in place.”
A spokesperson for British Airways owner International
Airlines Group said: “For most families, summer is over and the damage to the
industry and the economy is done.
“On testing, we need to get on with it. We are way behind
other countries on what has to be a more nuanced approach.”
Drew Crawley, CCO of American Express Global Business
Travel, commented: “The modest easing of the quarantine measures is
encouraging, but otherwise there was a disappointing lack of any significant
progress, whether on traveller testing or opening up key corridors such as the
London-New York route. When the stakes are this high for the UK economy, more
decisive action and leadership is needed. Singapore has already managed to put
in place measures that enable essential business travel to key trading
countries. The UK should learn from this proactive approach and continue to engage
the travel management community. As one MP correctly pointed out during the
debate, the government is focusing on complete risk avoidance rather than
intelligent risk management.”
GBT chief executive Paul Abbott last month sent a letter to
Shapps and chancellor Rishi Sunak proposing the government implement a new
quarantine exemption for business travellers who book through a TMC. “It would
be a modest number of people governed by strict managed travel policies who
would stimulate import and export markets and get the economy moving again,”
Abbott wrote. He pointed out that the US had introduced a National Interest
Exceptions scheme to allow entry to certain business travellers and investors
from specific countries, including the UK, but those arriving to Britain from
the US still have to quarantine for two weeks.