NEWS
The PM this week announced plans to ‘test people coming into this country’
Lockdowns are ‘real setback’ to industry hopes for revival
Ian Taylor
Harsh new lockdowns have triggered a new cycle of cancellations, with the ‘test to release’ scheme “on the backburner” and the government poised to announce new entry restrictions. International arrivals will
need proof of a negative pre- departure Covid test to enter the UK, with Boris Johnson confirming on Tuesday: “We’ll be bringing in measures to test people coming into this country to prevent the virus being readmitted.” A senior aviation source told Travel
Weekly: “UK citizens can’t travel to the EU anyway, but everything is on the backburner. We need to see what happens at the end of February now.” A leading airline source described
the lockdown as “a real setback”, but said: “It does reinforce the
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importance of pre-departure testing. The focus now will be on an effective restart. That is completely caught up with the restrictions, but we need to get our ducks in a row for when restrictions are lifted. We have to use this time wisely.” The source added: “The new strain of the virus has really set things back. Without it we would have restrictions more coordinated. We’re
weeks away from that now. The minute there was a new strain, health
authorities [around Europe] just made their own decisions. “Realistically, it will be the end
of the winter schedule before there is any real [traffic] volume. There will be no half-term. However, with the vaccination programme, we were looking at April-May anyway. “We’ve seen airline schedules
contract and won’t see growth for the
remainder of the winter. It’s a case of battening down the hatches.” The source acknowledged
differing rates of vaccination across Europe could impact the eventual recovery, saying: “We hope it won’t have a big impact on the outbound market, but it is going to be variable.” In the circumstances, CAA
confirmation just before Christmas that refund credit notes (RCNs) can be issued for cancelled packages up to January 31 was welcome. A senior leisure industry source
forecast “a lot of stuff through to Easter” will be cancelled this month and said: “All credit to the CAA. It will help the industry navigate this.” Tui said it was “cancelling all
holidays in line with international travel restrictions” and customers would be contacted “in departure date order to discuss their options”. EasyJet Holidays said it was
“reviewing all holiday bookings” and Jet2holidays extended its suspensions to the Canary Islands, Madeira and Turkey until February 12. Abta said in a statement: “It’s right
the government takes steps to control the spread of the virus. But this needs to come with measures to support travel businesses which have little or no means of operating. Support is long overdue from Westminster.” Karen Dee, chief executive of
the Airport Operators Association, described the lockdown as “a devastat- ing blow” and said: “The government must urgently announce a compre- hensive aviation support package.” The chancellor did announce
new grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses of up to £9,000, depending on rateable value, and an additional £594 million for firms outside these sectors in a package worth £4.6 billion.
7 JANUARY 2021 5
PICTURE: Shutterstock
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