Plan for air bridge to New York discussed at ‘top level’
AN “AIR bridge” between London and New York to enable travellers to sidestep quarantine is being discussed in top-level UK-US government talks, The Daily Telegraph understands.
Ministers are studying plans for regional air bridges that would enable business and other travellers to come to Britain from “low-risk” areas such as New York City within countries that are “red listed” because of their continued overall high coronavirus rates.
New York, which introduced one of the toughest lockdowns, brought its seven-day infection rate down to just 7.2 cases per 100,000 – below England’s 11.3 – yet it remains red listed forcing any American visitors to the UK to automatically quarantine for 14 days.
“There are discussions going on at a very senior level around opening up London and New York. They are at a very early stage, but it is vital to get
business going with a major trading partner, especially as we near Brexit,” said a source.
Last week Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, confirmed ministers were examining the possibility of “regional travel corridors” that could allow quarantine-free flights from low-risk areas within countries with high coronavirus rates.
Asked about the US-UK talks, a Department for Transport spokesman said: “Conversations between governments in other countries on a whole range of issues take place regularly.
“Public health remains the UK’S top priority and we are committed to tackling this virus while enabling a sustainable and responsible return to international travel.”
BDL, Germany’s main aviation industry group, is already preparing with the US to launch a pilot project to link airports in Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and New York’s Newark with Frankfurt and Munich.
It would rely on Covid-19 testing already in place in Boston and German airports.
Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, said the US-UK talks would increase pressure on the Government to introduce Covid testing to enable incoming passengers to sidestep quarantine.
“The US will only agree to this if there is proper testing in place in the UK. The delay in establishing a testing policy is in danger of holding up the opening of commercially-important travel corridors,” he said.
The move comes as America’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention lifts the requirement for travellers returning to the US to quarantine for 14 days after visiting overseas destinations with a high number of confirmed coronavirus cases.
Meanwhile, the Government is expected to confirm that Switzerland is to have quarantine reimposed following similar moves with France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. It is understood, however, that Cuba may be included on the quarantine-free list.