Airports warn of testing snub

AIRLINES will snub Scotland for other parts of the UK if it is ‘left behind’ on testing, ministers have been warned.

Airport bosses l ast night urged the Scottish Government to introduce their own version of the ‘test and release’ scheme launched in England yesterday.

Currently, everyone returning from Covid hotspots not on the safe travel list has to go into quarantine for 14 days.

Under the English system which began yesterday, travellers can take a private test – which they must pay for – after five days of quarantine. If it is negative then they are free to return to normal.

But Nicola Sturgeon signalled she is still not convinced by the scheme, and highlighted ‘some significant issues’ in its first day in England.

The owners of all of Scotland’s main airports have said the country is being left behind because there is no testing scheme.

Derek Provan, chief executive of AGS Airports, which owns Aberdeen and Glasgow airports, said: ‘Airports and airlines in England can start making plans to safely restart international travel and get the aviation industry moving.

‘There are no such plans in place for Scotland. We now risk being left behind as airlines will opt to relocate their aircraft and with them what’s left of our connectivity and the jobs that rely on them.’

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: ‘That Scotland has failed to put in place a testing regime at all – not even a trial – is hugely disappointing and somewhat at odds with its status as an aviation nation.’

At Holyrood, Miss Sturgeon said the Scottish Government is ‘observing the pilot projects in England closely and will consider the results from them’.

She added: ‘Early reports I have seen today suggest that there are significant issues attached to test and release that might need further work to resolve.’