Travel chiefs attack ‘illogical’ testing rules
BRITAIN must recognise the vaccination status of UK travellers and ditch “illogical” plans to force them to take tests, the country’s leading aviation and travel bosses say today.
In a joint article for The Daily Telegraph, the chief executives of BA, Heathrow, easyjet, Manchester Airport Group and Jet2 say the “overabundance of caution” by the Government is out of kilter with other European countries and threatens millions of Britons’ holiday plans.
They say it is illogical to require fully vaccinated British holidaymakers to pay £60 per person to take a PCR test when returning from a safe “green” list country.
Even the European Union – “not known for rash decisions when it comes to vaccines and the precautionary principle” – is allowing holidaymakers with proof of vaccination to sidestep tests and quarantine, they say. “Instead of taking advantage of the success of the vaccine programme the Government risks closing the UK off from the rest of the world,” they warn.
“Travel even from green countries will still require arrivals into the UK to take a ‘gold-standard’ PCR test … a huge barrier to travel for most people and despite assurances from the Government that tests would be affordable.”
Their appeal comes as ministers are today due to decide which countries will be “green” allowing quarantinefree travel from May 17.
The “tiny handful” is expected to include Gibraltar, Malta, Israel, Iceland and possibly Portugal. Most of Europe – including France, Spain, Greece and Italy – will be amber, requiring holidaymakers to self isolate for 10 days on their return and take two PCR tests.
Ministers hope most European countries will be open to green list travel by the end of June under plans to review the lists every three weeks.
‘The UK has the best sequencing capabilities in the world and should be working with other countries to keep track of variants’
‘Despite having levers it can pull the Government has not yet made good on its promise to bring down test prices’
Anticipation is mounting as the long-awaited return to international travel fast approaches. With foreign travel having been illegal now for months – still shocking to think about – and having been heavily restricted for over a year, many people are desperate to reunite with family and friends abroad, take a much deserved and delayed holiday, or reconnect with overseas businesses.
However, as we approach this critical milestone, there remains a very real danger that an overabundance of caution by politicians will leave the country stuck on the runway. Instead of taking advantage of the success of the vaccine programme the government risks closing off the UK.
We want to be able to support a safe reopening, but if we are not prepared to accept any risk then travel will never restart and we will not be able to support UK travel and tourism businesses and supercharge the UK’S economic recovery.
On Monday, the EU – not known for rash decisions when it comes to vaccines and the precautionary principle – said that those with proof of vaccination should be able to travel without restrictions across the bloc.
In this country, the evidence is mounting that the jabs are protecting the NHS, significantly cutting the risk of infection. A study by Public Health England has shown that even just one dose reduces household transmission by up to half. However, unlike the EU position, having both doses will make no difference to your requirements to test and even quarantine on return to the UK, an illogical stance and one that needs to be addressed quickly.
The UK has the best sequencing capabilities in the world and should be working with other countries to track variants of concern more efficiently without the need for expensive testing requirements on the lowest-risk journeys. As it stands, travel – even from green countries – will still require arrivals into the UK to take a “goldstandard” PCR test, which until recently were costing more than double the European average at over £100 each. Despite having levers it can pull, the Government has not yet made good on its promise to bring prices down. Removing the burden of VAT is a good place to start.
Alongside cost, indications are that the initial list of “green” countries will be limited from May 17. Make no mistake, permitting quarantine-free travel to only a handful of countries would be a restart in name only. Given the improving health picture, the scope for safely designating a country “green” is much higher, and we believe that the number of countries on the green list can and should be high.
Public health comes first, and the UK travel industry has consistently backed the health measures that have been put in place at the border to protect the UK despite tens of thousands of job losses. But an overcautious approach has consequences too, for our freedoms, for livelihoods and for the economy.
The Government has never revealed any of its analysis about the risk it claims is posed by international travel, and must be transparent about explaining how it justifies its restrictions. Of course, the often-cited risk of variants entering the UK is real and requires vigilance. However, no one is saying that, come May 17, air travel will be a free-for-all and we must keep in mind that for much of the rest of the world, the main variant of concern is our own, home-grown Kent variety. Under the traffic light system, travel will and should remain highly restricted from countries where Covid levels are very high.
However, where Covid levels are low, it is no riskier to travel abroad that it is to travel from London to Birmingham or Belfast, or anywhere else in the UK.
The announcement that international travel can commence will be a genuine turning point and hopefully the start of a sustained recovery towards something more like normal. Our message to government is do not waste an opportunity afforded to us by the vaccine rollout to get Britain flying again.
John Holland Kaye is chief executive of Heathrow, Sean Doyle is chief executive of BA, Johan Lundgren is chief executive of easyjet, Steve Heapy is chief executive of Jet2 and Charlie Cornish is chief executive of Manchester Airports Group