Heathrow calls for UK airport virus tests after £1 bn loss
THE AIR HUB, USUALLY THE BUSIEST IN EUROPE, SAID IT HAD RECORDED A PRE-TAX LOSS OF £1.1 BILLION ($1.4 BILLION, IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, AS THE PANDEMIC DECIMATES THE AVIATION SECTOR.
LONDON: London’s Heathrow airport on Wednesday urged the government to create a coronavirus testing programme for travellers to replace quarantines, as it announced more than a billion pounds in losses in 2020.
The air hub, usually the busiest in Europe, said it had recorded a pre-tax loss of £1.1 billion ($1.4 billion, in the first six months of the year, as the pandemic decimates the aviation sector.
Revenues halved year-on-year while passenger numbers dropped 96 per cent in the second quarter, as air travel came to a virtual standstill due to COVID-19 lockdowns around the world, it said. “Today’s results should serve as a clarion call for the government — the UK needs a passenger testing regime and fast”, Chief Executive John Hollandkaye said in a statement.
“Without it, Britain is just playing a game of quarantine roulette”.
Heathrow has been among the critics of the British government’s controversial weekend decision to quarantine all travellers arriving from Spain, following a recent spike in virus cases there.
It follows the introduction earlier this month of a so-called traffic light quarantine system, in which passengers from countries deemed high-risk are ordered to self-isolate for 14 days.
Critics would like the UK to follow the lead of countries like France and
Germany and screen passengers from such places.
“Testing offers a way to safely open up travel and trade to some of the UK’S biggest markets which currently remain closed”, Holland-kaye added.
“Our European competitors are racing ahead with passenger testing, if the UK doesn’t act soon global Britain will be nothing more than a campaign slogan”. — AFP