Airport calls for affordable testing system

BRISTOL Airport has welcomed the introduction of a ‘traffic light’ system to re-start international travel - but says a more affordable testing process is needed for passengers.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has set out the framework for the safe return of international travel, which could resume from May 17.

The Government is set to introduce a traffic-light system, which will categorise countries based on risk alongside the restrictions required for travel to protect the public and the vaccine rollout from international Covid 19 variants.

Dave Lees, chief executive of Bristol Airport, welcomed the new system but said further clarity on the plans was needed by the travel industry along with a more affordable and ‘customerfriendly’ testing system for passengers.

“Customers and the travel industry urgently requires clarity on the next steps needed to resume air travel and particularly the need for customers to have a cheaper and more affordable and customer-friendly testing process being in place,” he said.

“From our customer research we know there is pent-up customer demand for air travel,” he added. “The Government needs to safely unlock the travel industry ahead of the summer season.

“Bristol Airport is committed to work with Government on all measures necessary to reopen international travel to support customers, colleagues and assisting the region’s economic recovery and protecting jobs now and in the future from the impact of this devasting pandemic.”

Key factors in the assessment for travel will include the percentage of the UK population that have been vaccinated, the rate of infection and the prevalence of variants of concern.

It will also look at the country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing.

The framework also includes the removal of the permission to travel form - meaning passengers would no longer need to prove they have a valid reason to leave the country.

The Government says the risks posed by Covid-19 variants remain ‘significant’ and restrictions for inbound passengers, such as 10-day managed quarantine, home quarantine, and stringent testing will remain in place - but will apply to people differently depending on whether the destination visited is categorised as ‘green’, ‘amber’ or ‘red’.