Industry warns of quarantine impact


Ian Taylor


Industry leaders’ furious reaction to quarantine restrictions appeared to have the government rattled this week and they showed no signs of relaxing the pressure. More than 300 travel and


hospitality leaders signed protest letters to home secretary Priti Patel slamming the 14-day self-isolation of arrivals as “unworkable”, with many warning they expect to lay off up to 60% of staff if the quarantine measures go ahead. They urged the policy be


scrapped in favour of ‘air bridges’ between the UK and countries with low rates of Covid-19 infection and called for the Foreign Office to amend its advice against all but essential travel. A survey of more than 120 of


the signatories found more than one in four (28%) fear they may cease trading if quarantine plans proceed. Almost all said they expect summer bookings to disappear, half by 80% or more. George Morgan-


Grenville, chief executive of tour operator Red Savannah, said: “The findings are catastrophic.” Advantage


Travel Partnership, Aito, the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, the Business Travel Association and events and hospitality association the HBAA also wrote to Patel and


4


foreign secretary Dominic Rabb describing the policy as “draconian [and] short-sighted”. Dnata Travel Group chief executive


John Bevan warned in a separate letter to Raab of “a very real possibility that travel businesses will not survive the summer”. Bevan said indefinite advice against travel “undermines any hope demand can start to return”. EasyJet chief executive Johan


Lundgren warned many businesses would be “scarred” by the impact and said: “It’s frustrating the government chose not to consult on the quarantine measures.” Clive Jacobs, chairman of Travel


Weekly owner Jacobs Media Group, warned of a “crippling effect”, and Iata UK country manager Simon McNamara said: “If the quarantine is in place, this will just kill travel.” Patel was due to present the


quarantine regulations to Parliament on Wednesday amid growing opposition among MPs. Huw Merriman, Conservative chairman of Parliament’s transport select committee, criticised the plan and said air bridges should be prioritised, while Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, described


quarantine as “senseless”. However, a


Home secretary Priti Patel announced the quarantine plan on May 22


YouGov poll suggested 80% of the UK population support the plan to fine travellers who fail to self-isolate


for 14 days. 4 JUNE 2020 Airlines are working


with the government on common health standards


Quarantine ‘to ea Ian Taylor


The government is poised to drop blanket quarantine restrictions from the end of June, with travel due to open up to Europe as the Foreign Office relaxes its indefinite advice against travel. But the Home Office won’t


retreat on imposing 14-day self-isolation requirements on most arrivals for three weeks from Monday. ‘Air bridges’ or ‘travel


corridors’ are set to be introduced from the first quarantine review date on June 29, with destinations prioritised according to their Covid-19 ‘risk picture’. The Department for Transport


(DfT) and aviation representatives have been working on proposals for almost a month, with the quarantine announcement on May 22 confirming the government is considering “agreements between


countries removing the need for quarantine”. An aviation industry source said:


STORY TOP


“We’re working with the DfT and are very close to finalising common health standards. Then we can open up based on three things: the other country is low-risk; there are measures in place to limit infection spread; and health measures in place at both ends of the journey.” The standards will


follow EU Aviation Safety Agency guidelines already released


and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards issued on Monday. These recommend physical


distancing “to the extent feasible”, face masks, passenger health declarations, health screening and contact tracing, as well as sanitation and disinfection measures. Dale Keller, chief executive of the Board of Airline Representatives in


travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32