Thousands of jobs at risk unless UK travel rules change, airlines say | Airlines Industries

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The travel industry has called on ministers to tear up Britain’s Covid traffic light and PCR test rules as numbers reveal their “devastating impact” on overseas flights and holiday bookings in the peak season.

Overseas holiday bookings this summer are down 83% compared to 2019, according to travel association (ABTA) data, with half of travel companies reporting no increase in bookings compared to last summer, despite a vaccination programme.

ABTA said thousands of jobs in the sector are at risk, with seven out of 10 companies planning to lay off workers once the furlough ends.

Heathrow and Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which have reported significant drops in summer traffic, have joined calls for a simplified two-tier system for international travel. London’s hub airport used to be Europe’s busiest but now ranks 10th after a 71% drop in traffic in August compared to pre-pandemic levels. MAG passenger numbers at Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports decreased by 68% in August 2019.

Health Minister Sajid Javid said at the weekend he wanted to cancel the second-day PCR test for fully vaccinated arrivals “as soon as possible”, after reports that officials were working on plans to allow for a change in, and possibly in time, half-holiday bookings. duration.

However, easyJet said it has not yet seen any clear impact of Javid’s announcement on bookings. A spokesperson for the airline said the airline will continue to demand that all tests for immune travelers visiting low-risk countries be canceled.

The government is set to review the heavily criticized traffic light system by October 1, while the holiday scheme is due to expire at the end of this month.

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Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA, said the requirements “stompled” the summer travel trade: “While our European neighbors were traveling freely and safely, the British were subject to expensive measures that stood in their way…the government needs to alert the damage its policies are doing to the kingdom’s travel industry. the United States and its impact on the broader economic recovery.”

He said the terrible summer season meant that the holiday plan for travel companies had to be extended beyond September.

Heathrow said the UK’s traffic light system was far behind Europe in terms of its restriction, giving competitors a competitive advantage. Chief Executive John Holland Kaye said: “If ministers fail to seize this opportunity to simplify travel rules, the UK will fall further behind as trade and tourists will increasingly bypass the UK.”

MAG cited government data showing that less than 30% of positive PCR test results were sequenced to identify variants. The company’s CEO, Charlie Cornish, said the system was “confusing to customers and putting unnecessary barriers in the way of their booking travel. The impact that is having on our sector is clear.”

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