End the quarantine shambles to save jobs

THE aviation industry is coasting on fumes, circling desperately above the chaos below, praying for some leadership from government. Airlines and the tourism sector are among those suffering the most economically from Covid-19.

No amount of furlough cash is sufficient to fuel businesses that rely on large numbers of people coming and going from the country. They need passengers booking flights and booking them fast, otherwise they will go bust and take a great many jobs with them.

The imperative to save our economy and the moral duty to save lives are not irreconcilable. The two can be achieved through common sense and careful planning. one way of striking this balance is by embracing airport testing. Aviation chiefs warn that unless the current system of 14day quarantine upon arrival is upgraded to something more practical, the impact will be devastating.

The Prime Minister is under enormous pressure from his own MPs to roll out airport testing in england. North of the Border, the Scottish Conservatives are urging SNP ministers to establish a new arrivals testing regime and do away with the burdensome blanket approach.

Scottish Tory transport spokesman Graham Simpson estimates that thousands of jobs could be at risk unless Nicola Sturgeon’s government acts.

He wants ministers to get round the table with industry chiefs and agree a workable system without delay.

For our part, the Mail’s campaign to Get Britain Flying Again enjoins both governments to sit up, pay attention to the cries of pain from this vital sector, and take prompt and effective action. That must begin with airport testing and it must begin at the earliest opportunity.

of course safety is paramount in the minds of ministers. It is paramount in all our minds. Screening inbound passengers can be done without jeopardising public health and, in doing so, we can keep our planes where they belong: in the skies.