Airport chief blasts Sturgeon test refusal
The boss of Glasgow Airport has accused government ministers of “overseeing the demise of UK aviation”.
Derek Provan, chief executive of AGS Airports, which also runs Southampton and Aberdeen airports, made the statement as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon ruled out proposals to test passengers arriving at airports for Covid-19.
AGS Airports is urging the Scottish Government to allow international passengers who test negative for coronavirus upon arriving at the Paisley transport hub to skip the 14-day quarantine.
The test could, industry chiefs argue, be carried at airports upon arrival and the company stated a second test done a few days later could significantly cut quarantine times for travellers.
The industry sees airport testing as a way for passengers to leave quarantine much earlier than the 14- day limit and could also help the travel industry get back on its feet after lockdown.
But Ms Sturgeon threw out the idea, stating it did not offer the same level of protection as self isolating. She said: “There is no point in changing one system for another if that is then going to result in what we are actually trying to guard against.
“We continue to look at these things, we continue to have appropriate discussions with the UK Government, but right now I am afraid the advice is clear – quarantine for 14 days is the most effective way of mitigating the risk of positive cases coming into the country.”
The response was met with dismay by Mr Provan, who said the aviation sector was seeing
The advice is clear – quarantine for 14 days is the most effective way of mitigating the risk
Nicola Sturgeon
more job losses than the demise of the coal industry in the 1980s.
“That’s surely not an accolade any government would like to have,” he said.
The airport chief said calls for regional travel corridors, as well as testing at airports, were falling on deaf ears.
He said this was causing “huge frustration” across an industry that was already having to shed tens of thousands of jobs.
His comments came on the same day holidaymakers returning from Greece were told to self isolate for 14 days.
The Mediterranean country now joins other popular destinations, such as France and Spain, which have been added to the government’s quarantine list of travel destinations.