Roadmap to Recovery


‘Tests not panacea everyone thought’


Ian Taylor


Covid-19 tests on arriving passengers are “not the panacea” for relaxing travel restrictions, aviation sources involved in government talks say. Heathrow confirmed a Covid


test trial on passengers arriving at Terminal 2 this week with chief executive John Holland-Kaye declaring: “We’ve got to have a different fallback to complete quarantine.” He suggested “a testing system on arrival for passengers from ‘red’ countries” would provide an alternative to quarantine restrictions under the government’s Covid traffic- light system. Following travel’s restart to


destinations mainly in Europe on July 10, an airline source said: “Now travel corridors are up, we need to speak about testing [and] what might it take to get a market like the US going?” However, an aviation source


warned: “Testing is not the panacea everyone thought. We’re getting push backs from Public Health England on how effective testing can be at borders. It poured cold water over the idea of a test on arrival or departure.” The source noted: “Testing is one of the only ways to free up quarantine


to red countries. The alternative is just a continuation of quarantine. [But] testing once is not effective. There needs to be more work. The testing of NHS staff is regular so asymptomatic workers are captured and self-isolate.” The Foreign Office removed


Serbia from the list of countries open to travel on the day the quarantine- free list came into force, leading Tui UK chief executive Andrew Flintham to demand the government add destinations to the ‘safe’ list just as quickly. He also criticised the Scottish government for omitting Spain from its ‘safe’ list, a decision dubbed “very disappointing” by the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, which represents 120 travel agents north of the border. Flintham said: “We get that the


government may remove destinations. We ask that they are equivalently flexible when they add destinations.” However, an airline source


insisted: “We don’t expect any relaxation before the first review on July 27.” The source said removing quarantine restrictions from passengers transiting from a ‘green’ country to the UK via an airport in a ‘red’ country such as Dubai, was now a priority, saying: “We’re pushing for that to be examined at the first review.”


Tui is encouraging contactless payments


Holidaymakers Ian Taylor


UK outbound travel has resumed more as “a trickle” than a flood despite industry relief at the restart. Quarantine restrictions and


Foreign Office advice against travel were lifted to major European holiday destinations from July 10. Alan Bowen, advisor to


the Association of Atol companies, said: “It’s great to see people travelling. There is an opening, but it’s relatively small. The question is what happens two months down the line. We need to see some movement and see what people say when they come back. Did they enjoy it?” Bowen added: “The Caribbean


Heathrow 4 16 JULY 2020


is opening – that is positive. [But] if you specialise to the US it’s impossible. You’re not going to see any departures this year.” A senior leisure industry source


STORY TOP


said: “It’s very limited, but there is limited capacity in the next two weeks. We knew most people won’t want to be in the first wave [and] we needed to make a start so people get the experience and tell people they had a good time. “We’ll see it ramping up. We still


have the school holidays. It’s not like turning on a tap. It will build.” An aviation source said:


“Passengers are returning, but in nowhere near large numbers. It’s a trickle of a return, although people do expect it to pick up as airlines


advertise offers.” Ryanair chief executive Eddie


Wilson told Travel Weekly: “Ryanair has 40% of its network scheduled to operate this month and 60% in August, [and] we’re at close to 70% capacity for July. “People say flights are a lot calmer.


It seems to be a pleasant experience. People are sitting in their seats.”


travelweekly.co.uk


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