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- Oct 17, 2012
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The aviation industry is calling on the government to provide greater clarity on plans to quarantine for a fortnight all travellers coming to Britain, amid concerns that the measures could have severe repercussions for the travel and tourism industries.
It has been reported that anyone entering the UK, including Britons returning home, will soon have to self-isolate for 14 days due to the coronavirus crisis.
Airlines UK, which represents British Airways, EasyJet and other UK-based airlines, said the proposal would “effectively kill international travel too and from the UK, and cause immeasurable damage to the aviation industry and wider UK economy”.
It added: “Nobody is going to go on holiday if they’re not able to resume normal life for 14 days, and business travel would be severely restricted.
“It will also make it all but impossible for aviation to resume any time soon, thereby setting back the UK’s economic recovery still further.”
The ISU union - which represents borders, immigration and customs staff - called for greater transparency on the quarantine plans.
The union’s professional officer, Lucy Moreton, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “At the moment this is just a leak, so we haven’t had any particular information.
“There’s a little bit of a discrepancy about whether this is airline passengers only or whether this is going to include individuals arriving by boat.
“And what are we going to do with the irregular migrants who don’t have a private house to self-isolate in?”
She also questioned how the quarantine system would be implemented, saying: “There’s no way for that e-gate to collect an address so we’d have to do something, either shut those down completely or post staff either before or after to collect addresses.”
Airport Operators Association (AOA) chief executive Karen Dee said she has not received any details yet about a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all travellers into the UK.
She told BBC Breakfast: “Although we haven’t had any details yet there’s been a lot of speculation that there will be a 14-day quarantine for passengers returning to the UK.
“That would have a really big impact on our sector.”
Ms Dee added: “We see passenger numbers typically down by about 98% now in the UK.”
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said she had been asking for clarification about the government’s plans to deal with flights coming into Britain for weeks.
“I raised it with the minister for the fifth time on Thursday because it’s caused real confusion,”she said.
Boris Johnson is expected to say in an address to the nation that passengers arriving at airports and ports, including Britons returning from abroad, will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Under the measures, which are likely to come into force in early June, travellers will have to provide the address at which they will self-isolate on arrival.
The authorities will conduct spot checks and those found to be breaking the rules face fines of up to £1,000 or even being deported. However, the aviation and holiday industry has warned that the move could be catastrophic for business. It is likely to end any lingering hopes that Britons could take their summer holidays abroad this year.
It has been reported that anyone entering the UK, including Britons returning home, will soon have to self-isolate for 14 days due to the coronavirus crisis.
Airlines UK, which represents British Airways, EasyJet and other UK-based airlines, said the proposal would “effectively kill international travel too and from the UK, and cause immeasurable damage to the aviation industry and wider UK economy”.
It added: “Nobody is going to go on holiday if they’re not able to resume normal life for 14 days, and business travel would be severely restricted.
“It will also make it all but impossible for aviation to resume any time soon, thereby setting back the UK’s economic recovery still further.”
The ISU union - which represents borders, immigration and customs staff - called for greater transparency on the quarantine plans.
The union’s professional officer, Lucy Moreton, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “At the moment this is just a leak, so we haven’t had any particular information.
“There’s a little bit of a discrepancy about whether this is airline passengers only or whether this is going to include individuals arriving by boat.
“And what are we going to do with the irregular migrants who don’t have a private house to self-isolate in?”
She also questioned how the quarantine system would be implemented, saying: “There’s no way for that e-gate to collect an address so we’d have to do something, either shut those down completely or post staff either before or after to collect addresses.”
Airport Operators Association (AOA) chief executive Karen Dee said she has not received any details yet about a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all travellers into the UK.
She told BBC Breakfast: “Although we haven’t had any details yet there’s been a lot of speculation that there will be a 14-day quarantine for passengers returning to the UK.
“That would have a really big impact on our sector.”
Ms Dee added: “We see passenger numbers typically down by about 98% now in the UK.”
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said she had been asking for clarification about the government’s plans to deal with flights coming into Britain for weeks.
“I raised it with the minister for the fifth time on Thursday because it’s caused real confusion,”she said.
Boris Johnson is expected to say in an address to the nation that passengers arriving at airports and ports, including Britons returning from abroad, will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Under the measures, which are likely to come into force in early June, travellers will have to provide the address at which they will self-isolate on arrival.
The authorities will conduct spot checks and those found to be breaking the rules face fines of up to £1,000 or even being deported. However, the aviation and holiday industry has warned that the move could be catastrophic for business. It is likely to end any lingering hopes that Britons could take their summer holidays abroad this year.
