UK. London Gatwick Airport has called for the UK Government to “throw a lifeline to the UK aviation sector” by removing the requirement for COVID-19 PCR testing for travellers who have been double vaccinated. This would apply to passengers arriving from green and amber countries under the UK’s international travel traffic light system.
The airport’s plea was given alongside figures from Airports Council International (ACI) Europe that reveal that the aviation sector across Europe is recovering twice as quickly as the UK, which continues with relatively tough travel restrictions.
These remain in place despite the UK Government’s own position that double vaccinated travellers present a much-reduced public health risk.
The ACI statistics show that Europe-wide bookings are now at about 60% of pre-COVID levels compared to 30% in the UK, as the continent capitalises on the progress of its vaccine rollout programmes.
Gatwick said the numbers reflect the relaxation of travel restrictions across much of Europe, where double vaccinated passengers are largely free to travel.
Accompanied by proof, double vaccinated travellers can currently enter the majority of European countries without needing to be tested, including in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Germany, among others.
Gatwick proposes that passengers returning from amber countries who are not double vaccinated should have to take a lateral flow test and then, if that is positive, take a PCR test. At the same time, it accepts that travellers coming from red countries should have to quarantine as the risk profile demands.
Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said: “With vaccination rates across Europe comparable, if not better, than the UK’s, the time has come for testing to be removed altogether for travellers who have been double jabbed.
“Other countries have done this and their aviation sectors are recovering much faster with bookings in Europe recovering twice as fast as in the UK.”
He added: “Our continued travel restrictions are out of step with much of Europe and continue to have a real impact on jobs and livelihoods, business and growth opportunities while also keeping friends and family apart.
“Passenger confidence in the UK has been shattered and the UK travel industry urgently needs to be thrown a lifeline so that we can start to recover properly from the most difficult period in our history.”
As reported, yesterday travel data analyst ForwardKeys revealed that tickets sold for international flights into the UK were as low as 14.3% indexed against 2019 across the key holiday months of July and August.
