Test at airports ‘or risk losing trade routes’

British companies warn lack of testing at airports could mean loss of vital routes to foreign rivals

Britain’s biggest airlines have written to urge Boris Johnson to introduce German-style Covid-19 tests at airports so passengers can bypass quarantine – or risk losing lucrative trade routes. The chief executives of British Airways, TUI, easyjet and Virgin Atlantic said testing offered the best prospect for opening transatlantic trade routes by allowing passengers from “high risk” US states to visit to the UK freely. They warned travel from the US was otherwise untenable.

BRITAIN’S biggest airlines have written to urge Boris Johnson to introduce German-style Covid-19 tests at airports so passengers can bypass quarantine – or risk losing lucrative trade routes.

The chief executives of British Airways,

TUI, easyjet and Virgin Atlantic said testing offered the best prospect for opening transatlantic trade routes by allowing passengers from “high risk” US states to travel freely to the UK.

They warned travel from the US was otherwise untenable under quarantine rules when the average length of stay for US visitors was less than a week. Countries such as France, Germany, China, India, UAE and Iceland moved quickly to introduce tests, leaving Britain at risk of falling behind.

“The UK and US should not miss the opportunity to set new global norms in air travel,” they said. Early this month

Germany introduced a mandatory free single test on arrival from higher risk countries, provided free by the German government at its major airports.

Travellers must isolate until they get a result, usually within 24 hours, on the state testing system. If negative, the traveller avoids the 14-day quarantine.

“We recognise there isn’t a single international approach, but we believe a UK testing protocol based on the German model would stimulate significant demand while protecting public health,” stated BA’S Alex Cruz, Virgin Atlantic’s Shai Weiss, TUI’S Kenton Jarvis, easyjet’s Johan Lundgren and Tim Alderslade,

Airlines UK chief executive. “It would play a critical role both in supporting US-UK connectivity but also in safeguarding connections with key European and other global markets.”

The appeal comes just days after thousands of tourists were stranded in France when Britain reimposed quarantine after spikes in Covid-19 cases.

The airline chiefs, whose letter was also backed by Ryanair, said testing should be introduced alongside regional “air bridges” that allow quarantine-free travel to the UK from “low risk” areas, such as New York, within higher risk countries. They added: “We suggest officials urgently scrutinise evidence used by Germany to decide in favour of a one test on arrival system.”

Iceland tomorrow introduces a double test where travellers pay £50 for a test on arrival, followed by a free test after five days. If negative, they are released from further quarantine.

Heathrow Airport has offered to pilot tests for the Government that could allow passengers to avoid quarantine after seven or 10 days, but said it cannot go ahead without the Government changing rules to enable those testing negative to avoid the remaining quarantine.

They warned that blanket quarantine was “particularly damaging” for US-UK trade, with the US accounting for 15 per cent of all UK trade, and 19 per cent of all UK exports.

They said testing offered a balance that managed the risk of Covid-19 spreading while minimising inconvenience to travellers, which could lead to the return of flying “at scale.”

“Restoring consumer confidence and passenger flying at scale will also require the US to open its borders to UK residents,” they said.

“It is our hope that the UK taking a lead on testing will support that vital economic objective.”